CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Tobacco Sponsorship

Kevin Barron: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport which recommendations of the tobacco taskforce have been implemented to date; and which are planned to be implemented in the future.

Richard Caborn: holding answer 3 December 2001
	The tobacco taskforce was established in 1998 to provide practical assistance to the sports affected by the Government's decision to ban tobacco sponsorship of sport. The taskforce's role is mainly advisory: to assist sports currently in receipt of tobacco sponsorship to find replacement sponsors by assessing the needs of each sport offering advice on best practice in establishing commercial relationships with sponsors; and assisting the sports in making links with potential new sponsors. In all, seven sports have sought assistance to make the transition from tobacco sponsorship—rugby league, clay pigeon shooting, billiards and snooker, pool, darts, ice-hockey and angling.

Tobacco Sponsorship

Kevin Barron: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the value of tobacco sponsorship for each sport sponsored in the UK, was in the last 12 months for which figures are available.

Richard Caborn: holding answer 3 December 2001
	Records are not kept of the amount of tobacco sponsorship received by each sport. As part of the 1995 voluntary agreement on sponsorship of sport, the Tobacco Manufacturers Association is required to make a return detailing the expenditure incurred in that year by tobacco sponsorship in the United Kingdom. The total value of tobacco sponsorship of sport in the United Kingdom for 1999–2000 was £8,815,000.

Sports (North-East)

Stephen Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans she has further to develop grassroots sports in the north-east.

Richard Caborn: The Government are committed to the development of sport and increasing opportunities for participation throughout the country. The strategy for sport—A Sporting Future for All—and the Government's plan for sport set out an action plan on how we intend to achieve those objectives. Responsibility for developing grassroots sport at the regional level rests with a number of organisations including Sport England, local authorities, local education authorities, schools, sports governing bodies, sports clubs, volunteers, and in order to ensure the best use of resources it is essential that all these interests work in partnership.
	In the north-east region all of the programmes for providing better sports facilities and improving sports provision are being implemented. These include lottery funding, where almost £80 million has been committed to the region, the school sport co-ordinators programme and specialist sports colleges, while £20.6 million under the spaces for sport and arts, £37.9 million under NOF Round three and £2.8 million under the NOF Green Spaces programmes will be invested into facilities which will be available to schools and the wider community.
	The North East Sports Board has also published its Sports Strategy—2001–2006 as a result of which eight action plan implementation groups have been set up to take forward a range of issues including investment in sport, health, education, social inclusion and links to economic and cultural strategies.
	For the future I have made it clear that I want to see a strengthened regional structure for the delivery of sport in the regions which involves local decision making and strong partnerships with all the key local interests. I will be discussing these issues with the Sport England Council and its new chief executive when he is in post.

English Heritage

Oliver Letwin: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if it is her policy to reduce grants to English Heritage proportionately to reductions on VAT liabilities following the Finance Act 2001.

Kim Howells: holding answer 3 December 2001
	In the last Budget the Chancellor announced a new grant scheme to assist repairs and maintenance to listed places of worship. Initial estimates are that the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme could be worth up to £30 million per year. There is no cap on the scheme; all listed places of worship that meet the criteria will receive a grant. This Department has been asked to make a small contribution to its administration costs. We have asked English Heritage to meet this commitment, which they have chosen to do through the redirection of £2 million in grant-in-aid from the Joint Places of Worship (JPOW) Scheme.

Competitive Bidding

Mark Francois: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will list the schemes administered by (a) her Department and (b) its agencies where funds are allocated by a competitive bidding process; and what was the amount of money allocated to each scheme.

Kim Howells: holding answer 3 December 2001
	My Department administers two schemes through Re:source, the Council for Museums, Archives and Libraries, where awards are allocated on a competitive bidding process. These are the DCMS/Wolfson challenge fund for public library projects to which we allocate £2 million a year; and the designated museums challenge fund for which £15 million was allocated for the three year period from 1999–2000 to 2001–02 to support projects to improve presentation at museums with designated collections.

National Foundation for Youth Music

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the National Foundation for Youth Music in providing more opportunity for young people to participate in musical activity; and if she will make a statement.

Kim Howells: holding answer 30 November 2001
	The National Foundation for Youth Music operates independently of Government. It has made over 500 awards nationally totalling nearly £16.5 million, and reaching over 150,000 participants. 84 per cent. of these are enjoying their first musical experience.

Broadband Broadcasting

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what action she is taking to ensure that all areas of the UK proceed at the same rate with the shift from analogue to broadband broadcasting.

Kim Howells: The Government are committed to ensuring that everyone who currently receives free-to-air broadcast channels on analogue will continue to do so digitally after the switchover to digital television, whether by terrestrial, cable or satellite means. We recognise that there are some synergies between the ranges of services which digital television and broadband access can deliver and we aim to ensure that these synergies are developed. But it is for the competitive market to determine which services are valued by consumers and which technology is best able to deliver them.

Silverstone

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment she has made of (a) the future of and (b) the costs of improved access to the Grand Prix circuit at Silverstone.

Richard Caborn: Silverstone is one of the most popular Grand Prix circuits in the world. The Government are in discussion with the owners and operators of Silverstone about its future and their proposals for its redevelopment.
	The operator of Silverstone is concerned that the problems encountered by spectators arriving at recent British Grand Prix threaten the retention of the event. The operator has been consulting with the Highways Agency and the local authorities about an improved access from the A43 trunk road. Planning applications have recently been submitted to the planning authorities. I have made no estimate of the costs of these proposals.

International Sporting Events

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans the Government have to submit bids for future major international sporting events; and if she will make a statement.

Richard Caborn: Responsibility for submitting bids for major sports events lies with the relevant governing body. The Government encourage all sports to work closely with the UK sports major event's steering group in the preparation of bids for major events to ensure that bids are properly co-ordinated. Where a bid cannot proceed without significant public funding, the Government will need to review all aspects of a bid thoroughly before giving any support. The Government have asked the performance and innovation unit (PIU) to consider the structure of support for major international sporting events.

2005 World Championships

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what work her Department is undertaking to ensure that Sheffield is a viable alternative to London as a bidder for the 2005 World Championships; and if she will make a statement.

Richard Caborn: The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) decided at its council meeting on 26 November to reject the offer of Sheffield's Don Valley Stadium as an alternative to Picketts Lock and to reopen the bidding for the 2005 World Athletics Championships. The IAAF's decision is disappointing; Sheffield would have provided an outstanding venue for the 2005 World Championships.
	At a meeting between UK Athletics, Sheffield city council, the Government, UK Sport, Sport England and the British Olympic Association on 27 November, it was agreed unanimously that UK Athletics should not enter a Sheffield bid.

Sports Fields

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what percentage of publicly owned school sports fields have been sold (a) since 1997 and (b) in 2001–02.

John Healey: I have been asked to reply.
	In October 1998, this Government introduced new legislation to protect school playing fields from unjustified disposal. Precise information on the number of sales that have taken place since that time was included in the answer given by my hon. Friend the Minister of State for School Standards on 18 October 2001, Official Report, column 1292W.
	Before October 1998, local authorities were able to sell school playing fields without the permission of the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, and information on the individual sales that took place was not collected centrally. Information on the total number of school sports fields was also not available centrally.
	We are currently validating the Asset Management Plan information we have received from authorities, including that relating to school sports fields, and hope to be in a position to publish further analysis in the spring.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Post Office Users' National Council

Sydney Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will provide the combined total expenditure of the Post Office Users' National Council in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland for the financial years (a) 1997–98, (b) 1998–99 and (c) 1999–2000; what this year's budget will be for postwatch and projections for the next three years; and if she will list the elements of unplanned outturn in (a), (b) and (c).

Douglas Alexander: holding answer 20 November 2001
	Historical information in respect of the financial years 1997–98; 1998–99 and 1999–2000 for the Post Office Users' Councils in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland can be found in the annual reports for those years in question. The annual reports were placed in the Libraries of both Houses. Information in respect of the Post Office Users' National Council was contained in the answer on 4 December 2001, Official Report, column 149W.
	The Consumer Council for Postal Services (known as Postwatch) was established to fulfil an important role in the new postal regulatory framework. It has wider statutory obligations and powers than POUNC and a more extensive regional structure. When considering Postwatch's budget we wish to ensure that Postwatch has sufficient funds to fulfil its role effectively.
	We have agreed a total budget of £7.8 million for Postwatch for the financial year 2001–02. The sum initially agreed for Postwatch for this financial year (£6.9 million) has recently been increased by £0.9 million in light of special circumstances associated with establishing a new organisation within a new regulatory framework.
	The figures on planned expenditure on Postwatch for the two financial years 2002–03 and 2003–04 are provisional and may be subject to adjustment with ministerial approval. This Department has not yet received from Postwatch a detailed bid for the financial year 2002–03 but we will consider the bid on its merits.

BNFL

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to her answer of 20 November 2001, Official Report, column 163W, on BNFL, whether the purchase prices paid by BNFL to acquire companies in the US include payments to settle outstanding claims against each company and the acquisition of other financial liabilities.

Brian Wilson: The purchase prices BNFL paid in these acquisitions took account of the assets and liabilities associated with the individual business acquired.

BNFL

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what savings have been made in Magnox-related liability estimates since the Government transferred its shareholding in Magnox Electric to BNFL.

Brian Wilson: BNFL's liabilities, including those of Magnox Electric, are stated in its annual report and accounts. BNFL's liabilities have shown a net increase in the period since the acquisition of Magnox Electric. Magnox liabilities account for over 85 per cent. of the BNFL group liabilities.

Manufacturing (Teesside)

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many local firms are involved in the Manufacturing Advisory Service in the Teesside area.

Alan Johnson: The Manufacturing Advisory Service is in the process of being established. No firms have been assisted as the regional centres of delivery have not been announced. Therefore, it will take some time to assess the level of assistance given. However, it is expected that the north-east centre will be aiming to assist approximately 500 companies per year.

Small and Medium Enterprises

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many SMEs have been launched in each year since 1996 (a) nationally, (b) within Teesside and (c) in the Middlesbrough, South and Cleveland, East constituency.

Alan Johnson: The information held relates to businesses that have registered for VAT. The table shows how many businesses registered, year on year, since 1996 throughout the United Kingdom. We are unable to provide figures for Teesside or the Middlesbrough, South and Cleveland, East constituency, but can provide those for the unitary authorities of Middlesbrough; Redcar and Cleveland and the former county of Cleveland.
	
		
			 Area 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 
		
		
			 United Kingdom 168,200 182,570 186,250 178,460 183,325 
			 Middlesbrough 195 205 190 200 220 
			 Redcar and Cleveland 170 155 150 175 150 
			 Former county of Cleveland 755 745 805 760 820

Investment, Lancashire

Peter Pike: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps the Government are taking to secure investment in Lancashire in (a) manufacturing and (b) service sector jobs.

Alan Johnson: The Government office for the north-west, the North West Development Agency and Small Business Service work in partnership with other agencies, business and local authorities to provide support and advice to investors in these two sectors, and to ensure that an attractive range of skills is available. A number of schemes, including Regional Selective Assistance, the Enterprise Grant Scheme, SMART awards and Regional Innovation Fund, exist to provide direct financial assistance to support new investment. Work on cluster developments, reclamation and re-use of land and on promoting the leisure and tourist industries is also intended to attract investment to Lancashire.

Farmers, Kent

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on progress of the agreement between suppliers and supermarkets as it affects farmers in Kent.

Melanie Johnson: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 7 November 2001, Official Report, column 263W.

Foot and Mouth

Gerry Steinberg: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 
	(1)  what her estimate is of the number of jobs lost in small businesses as a result of foot and mouth disease;
	(2)  what estimate she has made of the number of businesses that will be lost in the next 12 months as a result of foot and mouth disease.
	(3)  how many small businesses have had to cease trading because of the effects of foot and mouth disease.

Nigel Griffiths: The DTI, Small Business Service and DEFRA have not made estimates of the numbers of jobs lost; the number of businesses that will be lost in the next 12 months; or the numbers of businesses that have ceased trading in the small business sector as a result of foot and mouth disease. It would be difficult to arrive at such figures, given that in many cases there will be a number of factors influencing a decision to reduce the size of a business or to cease trading, for example prospects for an individual business prior to the foot and mouth outbreak.

Ofgem

Andrew Stunell: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when she will issue the statutory social and environmental guidelines to the Gas and Electricity Markets Authority; and if she will make a statement.

Brian Wilson: The Department undertook a public consultation on a draft of the social and environmental guidance over the summer, and we are currently considering the responses. We plan to issue the guidance as soon as possible once that process has been completed.

Online Trading

Hugo Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what her Department's targets are for the number of businesses trading online.

Douglas Alexander: The Department wants to ensure that the performance of UK small and micro businesses is up with the best in the world.
	The Department's target for the number of businesses trading online is to ensure that one million micro, small and medium sized businesses are trading online by 2002.
	The Department has already exceeded its target to connect 1.5 million SME's by 2002, reaching 1.9 million last year.

Sudan

Jenny Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many UK companies have approached her Department for advice on investing in Sudan in 2001.

Nigel Griffiths: We estimate that 30 inquiries relating to Sudan were received from 1 January to 30 September. We have no detailed breakdown of these inquiries between trade and investment.

Sudan

Jenny Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the UN initiative, UN Global Compact, and its implications for companies operating in Sudan.

Ben Bradshaw: I have been asked to reply.
	The Global Compact is the UN Secretary General's initiative on global corporate social responsibility involving a number of leading international companies and NGOs. It encourages companies to take nine core human rights, labour and environment principles into consideration in their business in the developing world. We fully support the UN Global Compact and were one of the first Governments to do so. The Global Compact is a voluntary instrument aimed at developing best practice that goes beyond compliance frameworks and encourages creative responsibility on the part of companies. We encourage firms operating in developing countries like Sudan to consider how they can best implement the principles behind the compact. The compact offers the potential to make a tangible improvement to the quality of life of people affected by UK company operations around the globe, but particularly in the developing world.

Bilateral Aid

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the level of bilateral trade is with (a) Yemen, (b) Oman, (c) India and (d) Pakistan.

Nigel Griffiths: The information is as follows:
	(a) British exports of goods to Yemen from January to September 2001 amounted to £56.7 million, an increase of 39 per cent. on the same period last year. Imports from Yemen for the same period were £4.1 million, a decrease of 28 per cent. The last full year figures for 2000: British exports were £52.5 million. British imports were £6.2 million.
	(b) British exports of goods to Oman from January to September 2001 amounted to £219.8 million, an increase of 38 per cent. on the same period last year. Imports from Oman for the same period were £51.1 million, a decrease of 12 per cent. The last full year figures for 2000: British exports were £278.3 million, and British imports were £97.4 million.
	(c) British exports of goods to India from January to September 2001 amounted to £1,404.8 million, a decrease of 14.3 per cent. on the same period last year. Imports from India for the same period were £1,394.7 million, an increase of 10 per cent. The last full year figures for 2000: British Exports were £2,055.8 million. British Imports were £1,712.1 million.
	(d) British exports of goods to Pakistan from January to September 2001 amounted to £178.4 million, an increase of 20.1 per cent. on the same period last year. Imports from Pakistan for the same period were £317.3 million, an increase of 16.9 per cent. The last full year figures for 2000: British exports were £205.9 million. British imports were £378.1 million.

Insolvency Service

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the staffing levels of the Insolvency Service.

Melanie Johnson: As at 1 November 2001 the number of staff in post in the Insolvency Service was 1,359 (full-time equivalent).

Women's Employment and Pay

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the report by the Deputy Competition Commissioner into women's employment and pay.

Patricia Hewitt: I welcome this report, which examines non-legislative and cost effective measures to improve women's employment prospects and participation in the labour market and to achieve greater equality of pay.
	I welcome too the Government-sponsored research report, "The Gender Pay Gap", which analyses the causes of the pay gap. Both of these reports are being published today.
	A number of Government initiatives are already under way to tackle this important issue, including key elements of the Employment Bill and the work of the fair pay champions in supporting equal pay initiatives in their sectors. We welcome the contribution both these reports make to understanding and to reducing the gender pay gap.
	We will also be publishing the Government's full response to the 14 recommendations made in the Deputy Competition Commissioner's report today.
	I am placing copies of both reports and the Government's response in the Libraries of the House.

Motor Vehicles

John Whittingdale: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to her answer of 27 November 2001, Official Report, column 785W, on motor vehicles, what radical pro-consumer change she is advocating to the block exemption for motor vehicles; and what consultation she has had with the retail motor industry and motor manufacturers on this.

Melanie Johnson: The current block exemption is not working satisfactorily. If consumers are to obtain value for money, then change is needed to secure an effective single European market in new cars and to provide more competition in the retailing of new cars and in their servicing and repair. My officials have had a series of discussions with motor industry trade associations and individual manufacturers and retailers, as well as with the Consumers Association.

Fireworks

Debra Shipley: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 
	(1)  what measures she has taken to ensure that fireworks are sold only close to specific dates such as 5 November and 31 December;
	(2)  what recent guidelines she has provided retailers selling fireworks;
	(3)  how many (a) children and (b) adults were injured by fireworks in (i) 1995 and (ii) 2001 to date;

Stephen Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many people were injured by fireworks in (a) the UK, (b) the north-east and (c) south Tyneside in each year since 1997.

Melanie Johnson: The powers available under the Consumer Protection Act 1987 allow for regulations to be made that address the intrinsic safety of goods but do not allow for the periods of sale to be regulated. We have, therefore, entered into a voluntary agreement with the industry that fireworks should only be made available for general retail sale for a period of three weeks around the 5 November and for a similar period around new year.
	Our fireworks Safety Toolkit includes advice to retailers as to their responsibilities under the Fireworks (Safety) Regulations 1997, the voluntary agreement on the period of sale and best safety practice.
	Data on firework injuries for this year (2001) are still being collated, therefore the latest data available are for 2000. Firework injuries in 1995 and 2000 are as follows:
	In 1995: Children (under 18 years) 929, adults 556, not specified 45;
	In 2000: Children (under 18 years) 557, adults 415.
	We collect data from accident and emergency departments across Great Britain of accidents involving fireworks over a four week period around 5 November. We do not have separate data for the north-east or south Tyneside. The nearest we can provide is as follows:
	
		
			  1997 1998 1999 2000 
		
		
			 Great Britain 908 831 1,056 972 
			 Northern and Yorkshire Region 143 144 167 142 
			 South Tyneside Healthcare NHS Trust 3 5 2 3

Small Businesses

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what action she has taken in response to the recommendation in the Better Regulation Task Force annual report 2000–01 that her Department should become an effective champion for small retailers.

Nigel Griffiths: holding answer 4 December 2001
	The Government Response to the Better Regulation Task Force (BRTF) report gave me this role, which I have for all small firms. We are now considering how this can best be done.
	We will certainly engage with key stakeholders in seeking to improve the competitiveness and productivity of the small retail sector, as well as to encourage small retailers to take advantage of the full range of support schemes appropriate to them.

Employment Tribunals

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry in employment tribunal cases where parties were required to pay a deposit, what the mean average deposit was at a preliminary hearing as a condition of continuing to proceed with the case in (a) 1998, (b) 1999 and (c) 2000.

Alan Johnson: holding answer 4 December 2001
	The mean average deposit required at a pre-hearing review as a condition of continuing to proceed with the case was:
	
		
			 Year £ 
		
		
			 1998 89.51 
			 1999 83.31 
			 2000 95.82

Employment Tribunals

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many employment tribunal claims, where a deposit at a preliminary hearing was required as a condition of proceeding, were proceeded to a full hearing in (a) 1998, (b) 1999 and (c) 2000, broken down by deposits required from applicants and respondents; and in how many such cases (i) the claimant won and (ii) the case was withdrawn and (iii) the case was settled before a full hearing.

Alan Johnson: holding answer 4 December 2001
	Most of the information requested is displayed in the table.
	
		
			   1998 1999 2000 
		
		
			 Number of cases which withdrew after a PHR deposit order 6 7 7 
			 Number of cases which settled after a PHR deposit order 11 1 7 
			 Number of cases which proceeded to a full hearing after a PHR deposit order 30 9 7 
			 Of which, successful at full hearing 8 1 1 
		
	
	The ETS database cannot provide information according to whether the deposit was required by an applicant or respondent.
	A claim may be brought under more than one jurisdiction or subsequently amended/clarified in the course of proceedings, but will only be counted once in the table (against the main jurisdiction).
	Source:
	Employment Tribunals Service

Departmental Initiatives

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will list for each (a) area based and (b) other regeneration-related initiative for which her department is responsible (i) the amount budgeted and (ii) the total expenditure in each financial year for the planned lifetime of each initiative (A) nationally and (B) in the Middlesbrough, South and Cleveland, East constituency.

Patricia Hewitt: holding answer 20 November 2001
	No specific area based initiatives are currently listed by the Cabinet Office Regional Co-ordination Unit as being the lead responsibility of my Department.
	As part of its promotion of enterprise the Department of Trade and Industry has a number of programmes which can contribute to the regeneration of disadvantaged neighbourhoods, notably the £100 million Phoenix fund.

Gambling

Stephen Ladyman: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made on the impact of enacting the recommendations in the Budd report on gambling in respect to amusement machines in seaside arcades on (a) employment and (b) exports; and what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport.

Patricia Hewitt: We have made no such assessments. I have had no such discussions with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport.

Public Bodies

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 
	(1)  if she will list those public bodies to which her Department appoints members and which are not listed in Public Bodies 2000;
	(2)  if she will list those public bodies which are the responsibility of her Department and which are not listed in Public Bodies 2000.

Patricia Hewitt: Public Bodies 2000 sets out information on non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs), certain public corporations (including nationalised industries) and NHS bodies. There are four types of NDPB: executive NDPBs; advisory NDPBs; tribunal NDPBs; and boards of visitors to penal establishments. The next edition will be published around the end of the year. Information about taskforces, reviews and ad hoc advisory groups is set out in an annual report, published by Cabinet Office. Copies of Public Bodies 2000 are in the Library of the House and this publication may be accessed via Cabinet Office's website (http://www.official-documents.co.uk/document/ caboff/pb00/pb00.htm). Copies of the annual report on taskforces and similar bodies have also been placed in the Library of the House and the annual report is being made available on Cabinet Office's website.
	The following executive NDPBs have been established since the publication of Public Bodies 2000:
	The Consumer Council for Postal Services
	The Gas and Electricity Consumer Council.
	The following advisory NDPBs have been established since the publication of Public Bodies 2000:
	Advisory Committee on Cleaner Coal Technology
	Agriculture and Environment Biotechnology Commission
	Ethnic Minority Business Advisory Forum
	Import Parity Price Panel
	Partnership Fund Assessment Panel
	Small Business Council
	Small Business Investment Taskforce.
	The following executive NDPBs have transferred to the Department since the publication of Public Bodies 2000 as part of machinery of government changes:
	Advantage West Midlands
	East Midlands Development Agency
	East of England Development Agency
	North West Regional Development Agency
	One North East
	South East England Development Agency
	South West England Development Agency
	Yorkshire Forward.
	The following advisory NDPB has transferred to the Department since the publication of Public Bodies 2000 as part of machinery of government changes:
	Advisory Committee on Work-Life Balance.

Yemen

Alan Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which Ministers in her Department have visited Yemen since 1 May 1997 and on what dates; what visits are planned by her Department's Ministers to Yemen; and what dates have been arranged for future visits.

Patricia Hewitt: None. No visits are planned.

Departmental Expenditure Limit

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will estimate the total unallocated funds within her departmental expenditure limit (a) at the start of the financial year and (b) to date; and what was the month seven forecast on outturn underspend against her departmental expenditure limit in (i) real and (ii) percentage terms.

Patricia Hewitt: The departmental unallocated provision (DUP) for the present financial year is contained in "Trade and Industry—The Government's Expenditure Plans 2001–02 to 2003–04" (Cm 5112 at Annex B Tables B6 and B7). Draw-down of the DUP has been reported to Parliament in the Winter Supplementary Estimate. Outturn against six-month forecast for each request for resources will be published in the Winter Supplementary Estimates Summary Request for Supply as usual.

Regulations

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many regulations affecting business have been introduced since 1997.

Patricia Hewitt: My Department has been responsible for the introduction of 533 statutory instruments since May 1997. Of these 533 regulations, we estimate that 9 per cent. reduced costs borne by businesses, charities and voluntary bodies, while over 75 per cent. had no or a negligible effect on costs for businesses, voluntary bodies, and charities. Over 30 per cent. of all the regulations introduced by DTI since May 1997 have been orders licensing firms to provide public telecommunications services, increasing consumer choice and competition in this sector.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Cuba

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assistance Her Majesty's Government are providing to Cuba in response to the devastation caused by Hurricane Michelle; and if she will make a statement.

Clare Short: We have provided immediate funding of £250,000 for the populations worst affected by the flooding in Cuba which followed Hurricane Michelle. Funding has been allocated through the International Federation of the Red Cross (to deliver shelter materials and medicines) and the United Nations Development Programme (for their work on immediate needs for food production and food security, health and social infrastructure, communication and housing).

Financial Deepening Challenge Fund

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development 
	(1)  what criteria are used for allocation of Financial Deepening Challenge Fund grants; what mechanisms are in place to assess the impact and effectiveness of grants made under the Financial Deepening Challenge Fund; and what assessment her Department has made of the impact and effectiveness of projects funded by the Financial Deepening Challenge Fund;
	(2)  how much money has been allocated in grants through the Financial Deepening Challenge Fund;
	(3)  how many companies have received funding through the Financial Deepening Challenge Fund.

Clare Short: The Financial Deepening Challenge Fund was launched in April 2000. It has since been made available for application by enterprises in 15 countries in Africa, South Asia and the UK. The fund accepts bids for assistance twice a year. All bids are independently assessed on fixed timescales and on a competitive basis. More information on the fund can be obtained from the website: www.challengefunds.org. or by contacting the DFID public information point on 01355 84 3132.
	Since the launch of the fund in January 2001, there have been two completed bidding rounds—with the third bidding round currently in progress. In the first two bidding rounds, the fund panel approved seven projects. In total, grants amounting to £3.7 million have been committed to these projects, these amounts being disbursed over the life span of the projects. A number of these projects were submitted by consortiums rather than single companies. In total, seven companies and six non-governmental organisations are expected to be involved in the implementation of these projects.

Business Linkages Challenge Fund

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development 
	(1)  what criteria are used for allocation of Business Linkages Challenge Fund grants; what mechanisms are in place to assess the impact and effectiveness of grants made under the Business Linkages Challenge Fund; and what assessment her Department has made of the impact and effectiveness of projects funded by the Business Linkages Challenge Fund;
	(2)  how much money has been allocated to grants through the Business Linkages Challenge Fund;
	(3)  how many businesses have received funding through the Business Linkages Challenge Fund.

Clare Short: The Business Linkages Challenge Fund was launched in January 2001. It has since been made available for application by enterprises in 19 countries in Africa, the Caribbean and the UK. The fund accepts bids for assistance twice a year. All bids are independently assessed on fixed timescales and on a competitive basis. More information on the fund can be obtained from the website: www. challengefunds.org. or by contacting the DFID public inquiry point on 01355 84 3132.
	Since the launch of the fund in January 2001, there has been one completed bidding round—with the second bidding round presently in progress. In the first bidding round, the fund panel approved four projects. Contracts for the implementation of these projects are currently being concluded with the bidders, with projects either just commencing or due to commence shortly. The four projects approved will receive grants amounting to circa £700,000.
	The four projects approved were all submitted by consortiums. In total, 12 companies, five public bodies, three non-governmental organisations and one university department are expected to be involved in these four consortiums.

PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL

Fair Trade

Michael Weir: To ask the President of the Council 
	(1)  what fairly traded products, other than tea and coffee, have been purchased by his Department in each of the last five years; and what their value was;
	(2)  what the value is of fairly traded (a) tea and (b) coffee used in his Department in each of the last five years.

Robin Cook: None. The Privy Council Office does not, however, have a refreshment facility in which it could stock fair trade goods.

First Order Questions

Paul Goggins: To ask the President of the Council what plans he has to change the rota for first order questions.

Robin Cook: From January 2002 there will be two changes:
	(i) Trade and Industry questions will be reduced to 50 minutes, so as to provide Members with 10 minutes to question the Secretary of State covering her role as Minister for Women.
	(ii) Provision has also been made during questions to the Church Commissioners, and Public Accounts Commission for Members to question the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Gibraltar

Richard Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he next proposes to meet his Spanish counterpart as part of the Brussels process.

Peter Hain: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary and the Spanish Foreign Minister propose to hold a further ministerial meeting of the Brussels Process in early next year.

Gibraltar

Richard Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his policy is on the geographical limits of the administrative area of Gibraltar as defined in Article 10 of the Treaty of Utrecht.

Peter Hain: The territory of Gibraltar includes both the Rock and the southern part of the Isthmus connecting the Rock to Spain; UK title is based on both the treaty of Utrecht and continuous possession over a long period of time. The Government are confident of the UK's title to the territory.

Gibraltar

Richard Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when (a) he and (b) one of the Ministers in his Department visited Gibraltar in the last four years and when (i) he and (ii) one of the Ministers in his Department propose to do so.

Peter Hain: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State hopes to pay his first visit as Foreign Secretary to Gibraltar early in 2002. Over the last four years, the following Ministers for Europe have visited Gibraltar:
	
		
			 Dates Ministers 
		
		
			 22–23 July 1999 Joyce Quin 
			 10–11 May 2000 Keith Vaz 
			 6 September 2001 Peter Hain

Gibraltar

Richard Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment was made at the recent meeting in Barcelona between himself and his Spanish counterpart of the level of cross-border smuggling from Gibraltar.

Peter Hain: The Spanish Foreign Minister and my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary did not discuss the issue of cross-border smuggling at the ministerial meeting of the Brussels Process in Barcelona on 20 November.

Gibraltar

Julie Kirkbride: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if, as part of the negotiations with Spain, the Government are discussing giving inhabitants of Gibraltar the right to vote in elections to the European Parliament.

Peter Hain: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for St. Helens, North (Mr. Watts) on 29 November 2001, Official Report, column 1081W.
	The decision to extend the European Parliamentary franchise to Gibraltar in this way is for the UK. But, in preparing to take this step we have been in contact with all interested parties, including Spain.

Gibraltar

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what statement the Spanish Foreign Minister made relating to the ability of EU citizens resident in Gibraltar to vote in European parliamentary elections during his recent meeting with UK Ministers.

Peter Hain: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for St. Helens, North (Mr. Watts) on 29 November 2001, Official Report, column 1081W.
	At the meeting in Barcelona on 20 November, my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary and the Spanish Foreign Minister welcomed progress on a number of issues, including enfranchisement for the purpose of elections to the European Parliament.

EU Arms Exports Embargo

Jenny Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action the Government are taking to make the EU embargo on arms exports to the Great Lakes Region legally binding.

Ben Bradshaw: There is no EU arms embargo for the Great Lakes Region. An EU arms embargo against the Democratic Republic of Congo was announced in a Declaration on 7 April 1993.

International Terrorism

Kevin McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking within the UN Security Council to establish a tribunal to try for crimes against humanity persons allegedly responsible for preparation and commission of (a) the 11 September attacks in the US and (b) other international terrorist crimes.

Ben Bradshaw: International criminal courts are not a substitute for national jurisdictions. Their function is to prosecute perpetrators of crimes for which a relevant national jurisdiction is unable or unwilling to take action. That does not apply in the case of the 11 September attacks. Setting up a new international court or tribunal to try terrorism would cause great delay, not least since there is no internationally agreed definition of terrorism.

Correspondence

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he will reply to the letter to him dated 4 October from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Mr. Mohammad Azam.

Ben Bradshaw: I regret that, due to an administrative error, my right hon. Friend has not yet received a reply to his letter of 4 October.
	The matter is being checked urgently and a reply will be sent in the next few days.

Missile Technology Control Regime

Alan Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will place a copy of the Draft International Code of Conduct, agreed to by members of the Missile Technology Control Regime at their plenary session in Ottawa during September in the Library.

Ben Bradshaw: A copy of the draft International Code of Conduct on Ballistic Missiles was placed in the Library of the House on 15 November 2001.

European Union (Public Attitudes)

David Borrow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he has taken to survey public attitudes to the European Union; and if he will make a statement.

Peter Hain: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office commissioned ICM to conduct opinion research to find out what the British public know about our membership of the European Union, which issues they believe are important, what information they want, and how they want it delivered.
	I will place the full results in the Libraries of both Houses on Wednesday 5 December.

Balkans

Tam Dalyell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress has been made in rebuilding the Balkans, with particular reference to the Serbian oil, chemical and motor manufacturing industry.

Denis MacShane: The Government together with EU partners are committed to rebuilding and developing the Balkans. Under the Community Assistance for Reconstruction, Development and Stabilisation regulation agreed by the Council of Ministers in December 2000, 4.65 billion euros of EU assistance has been allocated to the region for the period 2001–06.
	The Serbian car, oil and chemical sectors have made progress since 1999. We understand that the Zastava car manufacturing plant aims to produce 7,500 vehicles in 2001 and has signed a four year export agreement with Syria. The Pancevo oil refinery now operates at full capacity and may exceed its current plans to refine 2.1 million tonnes of oil in 2001. The re-opening of the Danube to commercial traffic on 29 November 2001, will assist trade development in these commodities and goods from and to Serbia and the surrounding area.

Zimbabwe

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on (a) the progress of the Abuja Agreement in Zimbabwe and (b) the prospects for the elections next year.

Ben Bradshaw: We continue to encourage the Government of Zimbabwe to honour the commitments they made in Abuja on 6 September. However, their actions over the past three months show scant regard for these commitments and have seriously undermined the Abuja Agreement.
	With Commonwealth, SADC, EU partners and other concerned members of the international community, we continue to encourage the Government of Zimbabwe to create a climate conducive to free and fair elections. It is clear that there have to be significant changes in the arrangements which President Mugabe is in practice willing to put in place for observers to the election process, and the election process itself, if that election is to carry any credibility with the rest of the world and with voters in Zimbabwe.

Sellafield

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will place in the Library a copy of the United Kingdom submission to the United Nations Commission on the law of the sea in the case brought by the Irish Republic on the Sellafield MOX plant on 19 November; and if he will make a statement.

Jack Straw: On 9 November 2001, Ireland submitted a request for the prescription of provisional measures to the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (The MOX Plant Case). The United Kingdom's Written Response, dated 15 November 2001, and the United Kingdom's oral submissions at the hearing on 19 and 20 November are on the Tribunal's website: www.itlos.org. I hope my hon. Friend finds this an acceptable response.

Yemen

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on relations with Yemen.

Ben Bradshaw: Our relations with Yemen are firmly founded on our historic links. Relations have improved since the low-point of the Abyan incident in 1998. We welcome President Saleh's strong condemnation of the attacks in the USA and his co-operation in the fight against terrorism. We are in close touch with the Yemenis on this and on other issues such as the British prisoners detained in Aden.

Yemen

Alan Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with (a) the US Government, (b) the United Nations and (c) other coalition partners concerning (i) terrorist organisations in Yemen and (ii) the policy of the Government of Yemen towards such organisations.

Ben Bradshaw: We regularly discuss Yemen (including terrorist issues) as well as many other countries, both formally and informally with the US and other Governments. The contents of these talks remain confidential. There was a brief discussion of suspected terrorists in Yemen at the UN Counter-Terrorism Committee on 25 October.
	We are grateful for the positive Yemeni approach to counter-terrorism. The Government of Yemen have HMG's support in their efforts to combat terrorism.

Suicide Terrorists

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the need for an inquiry into international preparedness for the willingness of suicide terrorists to use aircraft and other vehicles to inflict substantial loss of life.

Ben Bradshaw: We take the threat of international terrorism very seriously and attach great importance to deterrence and prevention of terrorist activity. Since the horrific terrorist attacks in the US on 11 September the international community has intensified co-operation on responses to international terrorism, for example, reviewing safeguards in respect of aviation security. We are also working across Government to ensure that our own contingency plans represent the best possible response to a range of situations.
	We do not believe that an inquiry into international preparedness would help us prevent or respond more effectively to terrorist attacks.

Albania

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Albanian Government with respect to the assassination attempt on Mr. Azzan Haklaj.

Denis MacShane: This incident is the subject of an Albanian judicial investigation. With our partners in the international community, we are monitoring developments closely.

Albania

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his assessment is of the recent parliamentary elections in Albania, with special reference to (a) organisation and (b) conduct.

Denis MacShane: A report published in October by the Office of Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) praised the improved organisation and conduct of the elections. It highlighted a number of cases of manipulation, for which it identified the Socialist Party, rather than Prime Minister's Meta's Government, as responsible. The ODIHR report made clear that these shortcomings were not such as to affect the overall result. We continue to encourage and support Albanian efforts to address any flaws and to strengthen the democratic process.

Kosovo

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the level of gun running into Kosovo from Bosnian sources.

Denis MacShane: Arms have been smuggled into Kosovo from various sources, including a low level of trafficking from Bosnia and Herzegovina. In an effort to tackle this activity and strengthen law and order structures in Kosovo, in June 2001 the UN Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) adopted legislation against the illegal possession of arms, illegal border crossings in and out of Kosovo, and terrorism. The United Kingdom strongly supports these measures.

Afghanistan

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the importance of the BBC World Service during the conflict in Afghanistan; and if he will make a statement.

Denis MacShane: Public service broadcasting is important at a time of international tension when millions of people around the world rely on the BBC's objective reporting. In response to the events of 11 September the BBC World Service has increased output in Persian, Pashto, Urdu and Arabic and mounted its longest-ever continuous news transmission in English. I welcome these enhancements. A survey carried out among Pashto and Persian-speaking male heads of household in Afghanistan before the crisis indicated that 71 per cent. of Pashto speakers and 62 per cent. of Persian speakers listened to the World Service weekly.

Ministerial Visits

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many countries he has visited since 7 June.

Jack Straw: I have visited 17 countries since 7 June, in a number of cases more than once.

Cuba

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on relations with Cuba.

Denis MacShane: Britain has a good relationship with Cuba. Bilateral visits, trade links and exchanges in new areas of co-operation continue to develop. We are committed to a policy of constructive engagement with Cuba, based on critical dialogue and practical co-operation. Through our frank and open discussions we cover a wide range of issues of common interest, including human rights.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Decommissioning

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what recent progress has been made towards decommissioning.

John Reid: The IICD reported, on 23 October, that it had witnessed the IRA putting a quantity of arms, ammunition and explosives completely beyond use, in accordance with the decommissioning scheme and regulations.
	It also undertook to continue its contact with the IRA in pursuit of its mandate.

Decommissioning

Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on progress in decommissioning of illegally held weapons and explosives since 23 October.

Jane Kennedy: In its report of 23 October the Independent International Commission on Decommissioning reported that it would be continuing its contact with the IRA representative in the pursuit of its mandate.
	All paramilitary groups should now build on this very significant progress. The Good Friday Agreement committed all participants to the total disarmament of all paramilitary organisations. This can only be achieved through the legal framework of the Decommissioning Commission.

Decommissioning

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement regarding the progress made in decommissioning.

Jane Kennedy: The Independent International Commission on Decommissioning reported on 23 October that it had witnessed a quantity of IRA arms being put beyond use according to the terms of the decommissioning schemes and regulations. However, in the interest of furthering the process of putting all arms beyond use, the Commission declined to provide further details.
	All paramilitary groups should now build on this very significant progress. The Good Friday Agreement committed all participants to the total disarmament of all paramilitary organisations. This can only be achieved through the legal framework of the Decommissioning Commission.

Criminal Justice Review

Andrew Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the criminal justice review.

Sandra Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the criminal justice review.

David Borrow: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the criminal justice review.

Jean Corston: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what recent action the Government have taken to improve confidence in the criminal justice system in Northern Ireland.

Des Browne: We have published a draft Justice (Northern Ireland) Bill and an implementation plan to take forward the recommendations of the review of the criminal justice system. We are consulting on our response to the review and expect to introduce the legislation in this Session. Our response to the review marks another key step in implementing the Belfast Agreement.
	This was the most important review of its kind to have been undertaken in Northern Ireland in the last 30 years. The criminal justice system has served the people of Northern Ireland well over many years, often in very difficult circumstances. The review is radical and progressive, maintaining the best of the old system while integrating applicable international concepts and practices.
	I want to ensure that everyone interested in the future of criminal justice in Northern Ireland has adequate opportunity to have their say and to contribute to the effectiveness of our proposals. I am therefore extending the period of consultation by a further four weeks to 7 January 2001.

Organised Crime

Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the effectiveness of the organised crime taskforce.

Vernon Coaker: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what initiatives the Government have put in place to tackle organised crime in Northern Ireland.

Stephen McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the effectiveness of the organised crime taskforce.

Jane Kennedy: I refer my hon. Friends to the answer I gave earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Dumbarton (Mr. McFall), Official Report, columns 320-21.

Organised Crime

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps he is taking to tackle (a) paramilitary and (b) organised crime in Northern Ireland.

Jane Kennedy: The Government utterly condemn all paramilitary violence and intimidation and remain resolute in the fight against the illegal activities of paramilitary organisations. We will continue to ensure that the Chief Constable and the GOC have the resources at their disposal to meet the threat. With regard to organised crime, the Government are tackling this on a number of fronts. The organised crime problem is sophisticated and our response is too.
	The organised crime taskforce has been in operation for just over a year and has overseen structural improvements in the way organised crime is tackled. Links between the various agencies are developing. This is leading to operational success such as the 42.5 million cigarettes seized in Warrenpoint Harbour during a search of a vessel which had just arrived from Latvia: the largest ever such seizure in the United Kingdom.
	We must keep up the fight against organised crime and we must continue to increase the effectiveness of our response. We are in this for the long haul and everyone in Northern Ireland has a role to play in tackling organised crime.

Paramilitary Violence

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on paramilitary violence in Northern Ireland since 1 November.

Jane Kennedy: The main republican paramilitary groups' ceasefires are still holding. However, dissidents continue to pose a threat.
	The main loyalist paramilitary groups UDA/UFF, and the smaller group LVF, have been specified on 23 October. The Secretary of State keeps all ceasefires under review.
	However, during the month paramilitary groups on both sides have continued to exercise control over their communities through fear and acts of intimidation.
	The Government utterly condemn all paramilitary violence and intimidation and remain resolute in the fight against terrorism.
	A copy of the security statistics from 15 November to 27 November is as follows:
	
		Security situation statistics 1–27 November 2001
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 Deaths 1 
			 Shooting incidents 27 
			 Bombing incidents 17 
			 Casualties as a result of Paramilitary:  
			 Assaults 6 
			 Shootings 13 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Includes all deaths due to the security situation.
	2. The following types of incidents are included:
	Shots fired by terrorists
	Shots fired by the security forces
	Paramilitary style attacks involving shootings
	Shots heard (and later confirmed)
	Other violent incidents where shots are fired (eg armed robbery)
	3. An individual bombing incident may involve one or more explosive devices. Incidents recorded include explosions and defusings. Incidents involving hoax devices, petrol bombings or incendiaries are excluded.
	4. 2001 statistics are provisional and may be subject to minor amendment.

Paramilitary Violence

Julian Brazier: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment he has made of the level of violence and intimidation by paramilitary groups.

Jane Kennedy: Terrorist violence has remained at a significant level. The following table gives a breakdown of that violence from 1 January 2001 to 26 November 2001.
	
		Security situation statistics 1 January–26 November 2001 
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 Deaths 14 
			 Shooting incidents 329 
			 Bombing incidents 325 
			 Casualties as a result of Paramilitary:  
			 Assaults 128 
			 Shootings 174 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. 2001 statistics are provisional and may be subject to minor amendment.
	2. Includes all deaths due to the security situation.
	3. The following types of incidents are included:
	Shots fired by terrorists
	Shots fired by the security forces
	Paramilitary style attacks involving shootings
	Shots heard (and later confirmed)
	Other violent incidents where shots are fired (eg armed robbery)
	4. An individual bombing incident may involve one or more explosive devices. Incidents recorded include explosions and defusings. Incidents involving hoax devices, petrol bombings or incendiaries are excluded.

Religious Bigotry

Graham Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps he is taking to reduce religious bigotry as part of the peace process.

John Reid: In my speech at the recent Labour party conference I reiterated the Government's commitment to eradicating all forms of intolerance in Northern Ireland, and promised to criminalise such manifestations of hatred, whether based on racism or based on sectarianism. To that end it is my intention to consult in the new year on how best to tackle crime committed because of either racial or religious intolerance.

Security

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the security situation in Northern Ireland.

Jane Kennedy: We continue to monitor the activities of all paramilitary groups who are on ceasefire. There is a significant threat from dissident republican paramilitaries and from disaffected elements within loyalism who are intent in continuing with their campaign to disrupt the peace process. We congratulate the security forces on their continued success against these groups as evidenced by the recent discovery last month of a fully primed bomb in Armagh.

Voting Procedures

Valerie Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what proposals the Government have introduced for changes to the voting procedures in the Northern Ireland Assembly.

John Reid: The Government have not made proposals to change Assembly voting procedures. However, I have established a review under paragraph 36 of Strand One of the Belfast Agreement to look at whether there is scope for some amendment, to which all of the Assembly parties have been invited to participate. The review group will issue a statement after it concludes its discussions next week.

Police Recruitment

Michael Connarty: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress has been made in implementing the new police recruitment process; and if he will make a statement.

Jane Kennedy: The new recruitment arrangements for the Police Service of Northern Ireland, as recommended by the Independent Commission on Policing for Northern Ireland, have been implemented in full. The first recruitment competition to be run in accordance with these procedures will enable the Chief Constable to appoint around 300 recruits on a 50 per cent. Catholic, 50 per cent. non-Catholic basis, as the Commission envisaged. The first tranche of new recruits began training on 4 November.

Police Recruitment

Henry Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he next expects to meet the Chief Constable to discuss recruitment; and if he will make a statement.

Jane Kennedy: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State meets the Chief Constable on a regular basis to discuss a range of issues, including recruitment. The first recruitment competition to be run in accordance with the new procedures will enable the Chief Constable to appoint around 300 recruits on a 50 per cent. Catholic, 50 per cent. non-Catholic basis, as the Commission envisaged. The first tranche of new recruits began training on 4 November.

Police Service

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what discussions he has had with the Gaelic Athletic Association on the promotion of a police service that attracts support from all sections of the community in Northern Ireland.

John Reid: I have not had any discussions with the Gaelic Athletic Association on either matter.

Police Service

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment he has made of the ability of the police service of Northern Ireland to carry out its duties in the absence of a full-time reserve.

Jane Kennedy: As the published Implementation Plan on the Patten report states, a review of the prevailing security situation and policing requirements is to be carried out by the Chief Constable next spring when the first new recruits complete their training. A decision on the phasing out of the full-time reserve will be taken in the light of the findings of that review.

Good Friday Agreement

Eric Illsley: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what are the prospects for securing the full implementation of the Good Friday agreement; and if he will make a statement.

John Reid: The Government believe that prospects for the full implementation of the Belfast Agreement are very good following the significant progress made in recent weeks. This has included IRA decommissioning; the stabilisation of the political institutions; further normalisation; and the publication of the Criminal Justice Implementation Plan. We are committed to building on these developments to ensure steady and continued progress.

Assembly and Executive

Paul Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the future of the Northern Ireland Assembly and Executive.

John Reid: The devolved institutions are now established on a very stable basis following the successful election of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister by over 70 per cent. of the Members of the Assembly. We are committed to working to ensure their continued stability, and we will continue to encourage everyone to facilitate their full and unfettered operation in the future.

Bombing Campaign

Andrew Robathan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what recent assessment he has made of the capabilities of republican terrorist networks to mount a sustained bombing campaign.

Jane Kennedy: The Secretary of State continues to monitor the ceasefires of all paramilitary groups. He receives regular briefings from the Chief Constable and his senior security advisers. The decision by the IRA to decommission its weapons has led the Chief Constable to conclude there to be a reduction in the threat to enable further normalisation measures to proceed. However, we are not complacent. There remains a significant threat from dissident republican groups as evidenced by the recent bomb found in Armagh.

Republican Terrorist Groups

Michael Fabricant: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the level of threat posed by dissident republican terrorist groups.

Jane Kennedy: The level of threat posed by dissident republican groups remains high. Dissidents are believed responsible for the bomb attack on Woodbourne Police Station in October. The security forces continue to frustrate their attempts to disrupt the peace process. The most recent successes are the arrests and subsequent charges of republicans after the discovery of a bomb in Armagh, ammunition finds in Lurgan and Moira. Anti-terrorist Branch officers also recently made a number of arrests in north London and Liverpool in connection with the bomb attacks in London and Birmingham.

Gaelic Athletic Association

Dari Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what recent discussions he has had with the Gaelic Athletic Association on its change of rules to allow fixtures against teams representing the police in Northern Ireland.

John Reid: I have not had any discussions with the Gaelic Athletic Association on either matter.

TREASURY

Unemployment Count

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will provide a breakdown of the average monthly flow from the unemployment count of claimants aged 18 to 24 and unemployed for (a) every six months from April 1993 to May 1997 and (b) each year under the New Deal.

Ruth Kelly: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
	Letter from Len Cook to Mr. John Bercow, dated 5 December 2001
	As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your parliamentary question regarding average monthly flow from the claimant count for people aged 18 to 24 years. (20461)
	The Office for National Statistics (ONS) compiles statistics for unemployment from surveys following the internationally standard International Labour Organisation definition. ONS also compiles statistics of claimants of unemployment-related benefits. The claimant count consists of all people claiming Jobseeker's Allowance or National Insurance credits at Employment Service local offices. They must declare that they are out of work, capable of, available for and actively seeking work during the week in which the claim is made.
	Information on the levels of computerised claims by age can be obtained from the Nomis database at the House of Commons Library. Computerised claims do not include clerical claims which currently make up about one per cent. of the total claimant count.

Census (Twickenham)

Vincent Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the results of the 2001 census for Twickenham will be published.

Ruth Kelly: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
	Letter from John Kidgell to Dr. Vincent Cable, dated 5 December 2001
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent question on when the results of the 2001 Census for Twickenham will be published. I am replying in his absence (20623).
	The target date for summary Census results—Key Statistics for local authority areas throughout England and Wales is December 2002. They will be laid before Parliament and accessible through the National Statistics website at www.statistics.gov.uk. Detailed results for local authority areas and wards will be available throughout the first half of 2003.
	Census data for the Parliamentary Constituency of Twickenham are planned to be published in the second half of 2003.
	A prospectus giving more detail on publication dates will be issued at the beginning of next year and will be available on the website.

Graduate Earnings

Stephen Hepburn: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what were the average annual earnings for graduates in (a) 1999, (b) 2000 and (c) 2001.

Ruth Kelly: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
	Letter from John Kidgell to Mr. Stephen Hepburn, dated 5 December 2001
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the average annual earnings for graduates. I am replying in his absence. (20359)
	The Labour Force Survey (LFS) provides estimates of average gross weekly earnings for graduates of working age (i.e. men aged 16–64 and women aged 16–59) who have a first degree qualification or higher.
	The figures for summer (June to August) 1999, 2000 and 2001, are given in the table below.
	
		Average gross weekly earnings of working-age(1) graduates who are full-time(2) employees; United Kingdom; summer (June to August) 1999, 2000 and 2001; not seasonally adjusted
		
			  Average gross weekly earnings (£) 
		
		
			 Summer 1999 538 
			 Summer 2000 567 
			 Summer 2001 601 
		
	
	(1) Men aged 16–64 and women aged 16–59.
	(2) The definition of full-time is based on respondents' self-assessment not on the number of hours worked
	Source:
	ONS Labour Force Survey

Financial Products (Quality Standards)

Jim Cousins: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he plans to take to define quality standards for retail financial products.

Ruth Kelly: The Government have already introduced benchmark standards for Individual Savings Accounts and mortgages. These standards apply to charges, access and terms, and are known as CAT standards.
	In response to proposals in the March 2000 report of the Banking Review led by Don Cruickshank, the Treasury consulted on possible new CAT standards for credit cards and basic bank accounts earlier this year.
	The consultation document, "Standards for retail financial products", explored the case for such standards in detail.
	The Government are considering the many responses that were received.
	In the case of stakeholder pensions the Government require provider companies to comply with a set of minimum standards, which have similar aims in seeking to offer decent value to consumers.

Pre-Budget Report

Jim Cousins: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will set out the plans for 2000–01 on the basis of the Department's listed resource/capital distinction set out in Table B.16 of the pre-Budget report.

Andrew Smith: Spending within departmental expenditure limits for resource and capital budgets for 2000–01 was set out in the 2001 pre-Budget report (Cm 5318). Plans in resource and capital terms were last stated in table C13 of Budget 2001 (HC 279).

Cross-border Payments

Jackie Lawrence: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he intends to include sterling denominated payments within the scope of the proposed regulation on cross-border payments in euros.

Ruth Kelly: The Government do not intend to extend the scope of the proposed Regulation on cross-border payments in euro to sterling denominated payments. The approach taken in the Regulation is inconsistent with the competition-based approach that we believe is the better way of tackling the problem of market failure in cross-border payments. Such an approach would be consistent with our commitment to introduce a new regime for regulating competition in domestic payment systems—as recommended by the Cruickshank report. Not including sterling denominated payments would also avoid the potentially counter-productive effects arising from the proposed Regulation that could be damaging to consumers.

Regulatory Standards (Crown Dependencies)

Jim Cousins: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what measures he takes to monitor and scrutinise the regulatory standards in the Crown Dependencies.

Ruth Kelly: The Government's policy is to encourage all offshore centres, including the Crown Dependencies, to meet the highest international standards of regulation, supervision and fair tax competition.

Financial Regulation (British Overseas Territories)

Jim Cousins: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the recommendations are of the KPMG report on the state of financial regulation in the British overseas territories; and what steps have been taken to implement them.

Ruth Kelly: The KPMG Review of Financial Regulation in the Caribbean Overseas Territories and Bermuda recommended: the establishment of independent regulatory authorities; the introduction of investigative powers to assist inquiries by overseas regulators; and the establishment of comprehensive anti-money laundering networks.
	All the overseas territories now have comprehensive money laundering frameworks fully in place.
	Good progress has been made in providing the legal basis for the introduction of powers to obtain information to assist foreign regulators. The Cayman Island, the British Virgin Islands, the Turks and Caicos Islands and Montserrat have already introduced relevant provision. Bermuda's existing regulatory powers are being strengthened. Anguilla has compulsory powers legislation in draft.
	Considerable progress has been made in establishing independent regulatory authorities. The Turks and Caicos Islands have introduced legislation to establish an independent authority and legislation is in an advanced stage in the British Virgin Islands, Anguilla and Montserrat. Bermuda already has an independent authority for banking and securities; it is now proceeding to complete the process for the insurance sector by the end of 2001. Cayman expects to enact the relevant legislation in the first quarter of 2002.
	The Caribbean Overseas Territories and Bermuda have made a commitment substantially to implement the remainder of the KPMG recommendations by the summer of 2002. They have agreed to publish further reports by February 2002 explaining how their implementation plans are progressing. This should place them in a strong position prior to their forthcoming examination by the International Monetary Fund under the Financial Stability Forum's initiative into offshore financial centres.
	The overseas territories and Bermuda have pledged to play their full part in the international efforts to close off financial networks to terrorism as effectively as dealing with other types of serious criminal activity.
	The UK Government will continue to work closely with the overseas territories both on closing off financial networks as well as on the implementation of the KMPG recommendations with the aim of helping them meet international standards in full.

Stamp Duty

Teddy Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will place a list in the Library of the wards which are to qualify for the exemption from stamp duty up to £150,000; and if he will make a statement explaining the basis of selection.

Paul Boateng: holding answer 4 December 2001
	A list of the areas which qualify for the stamp duty exemption for disadvantaged areas was placed in the Library on 27 November 2001. The qualifying areas were identified by reference to each country's most recent index of deprivation.

Stamp Duty

Teddy Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer for what reason the (a) Milton, (b) St. Lukes and (c) Victoria wards in Southend on Sea did not qualify for the exemption from stamp duty announced on 27 November.

Paul Boateng: holding answer 4 December 2001
	For England, the exemption is available for the 15 per cent. most deprived wards as identified by the Index of Multiple Deprivation 2000. The wards of Milton, St. Lukes and Victoria in Southend on Sea do not fall within this category.

Lloyd's

Jim Cousins: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will place in the Library his response to queries from the European Commission about regulation of Lloyd's in accordance with Directive 73/239.

Ruth Kelly: The European Commission has made informal inquiries about the regulation of Lloyd's in accordance with Directive 73/239, but it has not notified the UK that in its opinion a breach has occurred. It is not the Government's policy to release informal correspondence of this sort with the Commission. However, the Government remain of the view that the requirements of EC legislation in respect of Lloyd's have been and are being properly implemented.

Building Insurance

Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will regulate the fees by mortgage lenders to customers who choose (a) alternative provision for their building insurance when they take out a mortgage and (b) to switch providers for building insurance at a later stage.

Ruth Kelly: I have no plans to do so.

Capital Spending

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will provide a breakdown of total Government capital spending for each year since April 1992.

Andrew Smith: Table 3.7 of the Public Expenditure Statistical Analyses 2001–02 provides a breakdown of capital spending for each year back to 1995–96. Corresponding breakdowns are not available for earlier years on a consistent basis.

Crude Oil Prices

David Lidington: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assumptions he made 
	(1)  in preparing table B9, page 175 of the pre-Budget report, about the level of crude oil prices in each year up to and including 2006–07;
	(2)  preparing Table B8, page 174 of the pre-Budget report about the level of crude oil prices in each year up to and including 2002–03.

Dawn Primarolo: holding answers 3 December 2001
	The oil prices underlying the pre-Budget report projections are:
	
		
			  $/barrel 
		
		
			 2000 27.9 
			 2001 24.5 
			 2002 22.9 
			 2003 23.3 
			 2004 23.6 
			 2005 23.9 
			 2006 24.1 
		
	
	As set out in Box B1 on page 169 of the pre-Budget report, the assumption for 2002 is based on the average of independent forecasts, in line with the NAO audited assumption.

EU (Fraud)

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate has he made of the cost to the UK taxpayer of fraud in the European Union.

Ruth Kelly: The European Commission is responsible for publishing statistics on fraud and irregularities against the EC budget. Its latest report including figures for detected irregularities was published in May 2001, entitled "Protecting the Community's financial interests and the Fight against Fraud", and is available on the internet. Details of the developments described in the Commission's report are also set out in the Government's July 2001 "Statement on the 2001 EC Budget and Measures to Counter Fraud and Financial Mismanagement", Cm 5173.
	Care should be taken in interpreting the statistics because the Commission's report does not distinguish between cases of fraud and irregularities. Errors arise when, for example, payments are made outside prescribed time limits or using the wrong exchange rates. Moreover, increases in the level of detected errors may be attributed to improved detection and notification of cases by member states.

Special Advisers and Press Officers

Alex Salmond: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many (a) special advisers and (b) press officers were employed (i) full time, (ii) part time and (iii) on a contract basis by his Department in each year since 1992.

Ruth Kelly: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Parliamentary Secretary, Cabinet Office on 21 November 2001, Official Report, column 340W.
	The number of press officers employed by HM Treasury has remained broadly constant since 1992. There are currently seven, in addition to the Head of Communications.

Airline Industry

Chris Grayling: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to extend the Government's temporary underwriting of third party war risk insurance for the UK airline industry.

Andrew Smith: The Government's replacement insurance scheme for UK airlines and service providers was due to expire at midnight on 23 November. Assessment of the aviation insurance market demonstrated that commercial capacity for underwriting third-party war and terrorism liabilities above $50 million has not yet returned. It is unlikely that there will be any significant return of commercial insurance until reinsurance contracts are renegotiated at the beginning of January, which will shape the whole of the aviation industry, including aviation, for the next 12 months. Therefore the Treasury announced on 22 November that it had decided to extend the airline insurance scheme until midnight on 22 January 2002.

Public Expenditure (Health)

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the cost of raising public expenditure on health to the EU average by 2005.

Andrew Smith: Health service expenditure plans for the period between 2003–04 and 2005–06 will be set in the 2002 spending review.

Tax Credits

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer on what basis he determines whether a tax credit is classed as public expenditure.

Andrew Smith: The Treasury's calculation of net taxes and social security contributions treats all tax credits as reductions in tax collected since working families and business tax credits appear as reductions in their tax bills.
	The Treasury's calculation of public sector receipts, drawn from ONS's national accounts, treats some tax credits as public expenditure, as explained in the ONS publication "National Accounts Concepts Sources and Methods", Doggett 1998, 21.69 to 21.71.

Debt Repayment

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his oral statement of 7 March 2001, Official Report, column 297, on debt repayment, on which lines in which tables in the March 2001 Financial Statement and Budget report his statement is based.

Andrew Smith: The 2001 Budget estimate for the public sector net cash requirement (PSNCR) in 2000–01 is given in the net cash requirement line of table C20 of the March 2001 Financial Statement and Budget report. A negative figure for PSNCR implies the repayment of debt. Historical estimates of the PSNCR from 1963–64 are available from the Office for National Statistics. For the years 1951–52 to 1962–63, ONS estimates of public sector net borrowing have been used. These were positive in each year, implying no significant repayment of debt.

E-mail Information Service

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer for what reason subscribers to the Treasury's e-mail information service do not receive e-mails automatically informing them of news releases, services or documentation being made available by the Treasury; and if he will make a statement.

Ruth Kelly: The Treasury has an e-mail information service which provides subscribers with e-mails notifying them of news releases from the Treasury. The service is currently available and can be accessed by visiting the Department's website at http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk.

Public Expenditure

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the value for money of public expenditure on (a) education, (b) defence and (c) health care; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Smith: Departments publish performance against their value for money targets in their spring departmental reports or, in the case of the Ministry of Defence, in its autumn performance report.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Parliamentary Ombudsman

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many formal notices his Department has received in the last year from the Parliamentary Ombudsman expressing an intention to carry out an investigation; and in respect of each notice how long it took to respond.

Angela Eagle: holding answer 27 November 2001
	Information on the outcome of statutory investigations which were concluded during 2000–01 are set out in the Parliamentary Ombudsman's Annual report for 2000–01, copies of which are available in the Library, or on the Parliamentary Ombudsman's website at www.ombudsman.org.uk/pca/document/par01/index.htm.
	Between 1 April 2001 and 31 October 2001, the Home Office has received seven new statutory statements of complaint from the Parliamentary Ombudsman. So far, we have responded to six of these cases, and the average time taken to respond overall is 27 and a half days.

Asylum Seekers

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his assessment is of the average additional cost of supporting an asylum seeker if the EC draft directive laying down minimum standards in the reception of applicants for asylum in member states were implemented.

Angela Eagle: The European Commission draft directive laying down minimum standards on the reception of applicants for asylum is currently under negotiation. The costs of implementation remain to be quantified and will depend on the final terms of the directive.

Asylum Seekers

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people applied for asylum to the UK this year from (a) Russia, (b) Ukraine, (c) Latvia, (d) Lithuania, (e) Estonia and (f) Georgia; and of these how many have been granted leave to stay.

Angela Eagle: The number of asylum applications from nationals of Russia, Ukraine, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia and Georgia this year is shown in Table 1.
	
		Table 1: Applications for asylum lodged between January and September 2001 (inclusive) by selected nationalities, principal applicants(3),(4)
		
			 Month Asylum applications 
		
		
			 Russia 335 
			 Ukraine 340 
			 Latvia 85 
			 Lithuania 170 
			 Estonia 35 
			 Georgia 90 
		
	
	(3) Figures rounded to the nearest five
	(4) Provisional figures
	The number of initial decisions made this year on applications for asylum from nationals of these countries are shown in Table 2, however information regarding initial decisions does not necessarily relate to applications made in the same period.
	
		Table 2: Decisions made between January and September 2001 (inclusive) on applications for asylum from selected nationalities, -- principal applicants(5),(6)
		
			   of which:  
			  Total initial decisions  Granted asylum  Granted ELR  Refusals  
			  Level Level Percentage Level Percentage Level Percentage 
		
		
			 Russia 760 15 2 35 4 710 94 
			 Ukraine 1,000 5 1 15 2 980 98 
			 Latvia 350 (7)— 1 (7)— 1 345 99 
			 Lithuania 585 (7)— 0 25 4 560 96 
			 Estonia 245 — 0 — 0 245 100 
			 Georgia 170 10 5 5 3 155 92 
		
	
	(5) Levels rounded to the nearest five
	(6) Provisional figures
	(7) 1 or 2

Asylum Seekers

Oliver Letwin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many of those who have failed in their application for asylum status have been removed from the UK in 2001; and if he will make a statement.

Angela Eagle: holding answer 3 December 2001
	The latest available information is given in the table.
	
		Asylum removals in 2001(8),(9)
		
			  Q1 Q2 Q3 
			  2001 2001 2001 
		
		
			 Principal applicants removed 2,070 2,375 2,385 
			 Dependants removed(10) (11)— 215 355 
			 Total asylum seekers removed (11)— 2,590 2,745 
		
	
	(8) Provisional figures, rounded to the nearest five. Figures may not sum due to rounding
	(9) Includes persons departing 'voluntarily' after enforcement action had been initiated against them and persons leaving under Assisted Voluntary Return Programmes run by the IOM
	(10) Data on dependants of asylum seekers removed have only been collected since April 2001
	(11) Not applicable
	Information on the number of asylum removals is published on a quarterly basis. The next set of data will be published on 28 February 2002 on the Research, Development and Statistics Directorate website http:// www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration1.html.

Asylum Seekers

Oliver Letwin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his target is for removing asylum seekers whose application for asylum in the UK has failed; if this target has recently changed; and if he will make a statement.

Angela Eagle: holding answer 3 December 2001
	The current Service Delivery Agreement target relating to the removal of failed asylum seekers from the United Kingdom is to remove 3,000 in 2001–02; 33,000 in 2002–03; and 37,000 in 2003–04. The totals include dependants.
	The 30,000 target for this year has always been extremely ambitious and high risk. No European country has achieved levels of this kind and the Home Secretary announced in the House as early as 27 June that the target would not be met. We aim to remove at the rate of 2,500 per month from early next year.

Police Statistics

Peter Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) uniformed full-time officers, (b) special constables and (c) civilian staff there are per thousand of population in each English constabulary.

John Denham: Details of the numbers of special constables and civilian staff per 1,000 population are given in the table. Numbers of uniformed full-time officers are not collected centrally; number of full-time equivalent police officers per 100,000 population by police force area are given in table three in Home Office Statistical Bulletin 10/01, entitled "Police Service Strength England and Wales, 31 March 2001", published on 28 June 2001.
	
		Strength as at 31 March 2001, by police force area—England
		
			 Police force Special constables per 1,000 population(12) Civilian police staff per 1,000 population(13) 
		
		
			 Avon and Somerset 0.27 0.97 
			 Bedfordshire 0.20 0.87 
			 Cambridgeshire 0.30 0.85 
			 Cheshire 0.30 0.85 
			 Cleveland 0.17 1.05 
			 Cumbria 0.32 1.20 
			 Derbyshire 0.28 0.90 
			 Devon and Cornwall 0.51 0.93 
			 Dorset 0.39 0.99 
			 Durham 0.24 0.93 
			 Essex 0.28 0.89 
			 Gloucestershire 0.33 0.90 
			 Greater Manchester 0.14 1.11 
			 Hampshire 0.26 0.83 
			 Hertfordshire 0.19 0.90 
			 Humberside 0.24 0.92 
			 Kent 0.25 1.13 
			 Lancashire 0.25 0.96 
			 Leicestershire 0.17 0.86 
			 Lincolnshire 0.26 0.89 
			 London, City of(14) — — 
			 Merseyside 0.39 1.01 
			 Metropolitan Police(14) 0.11 1.41 
			 Norfolk 0.33 0.87 
			 Northamptonshire 0.30 1.12 
			 Northumbria 0.21 1.00 
			 North Yorkshire 0.24 0.79 
			 Nottinghamshire 0.32 1.01 
			 South Yorkshire 0.14 1.01 
			 Staffordshire 0.38 0.88 
			 Suffolk 0.52 0.92 
			 Surrey 0.14 0.83 
			 Sussex 0.20 0.96 
			 Thames Valley 0.20 0.89 
			 Warwickshire 0.44 0.81 
			 West Mercia 0.35 0.96 
			 West Midlands 0.23 1.07 
			 West Yorkshire 0.20 1.05 
			 Wiltshire 0.25 1.02 
		
	
	(12) Special constable figures are based on number of staff.
	(13) Civilian figures are based on full time equivalents.
	(14) Staff per 1,000 population figures for City of London and Metropolitan Police are combined.

Police Statistics

Jeff Ennis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on police numbers in South Yorkshire.

John Denham: I understand from the Chief Constable that on 31 August the force had 3,203 police officers. This is six more officers than the force had in March 2001 and is a record number of officers. South Yorkshire Police has set a budgeted workforce total for 31 March 2002 of 3,200 officers. On 31 March 2001 the force had 1,312 civilian support staff, 21 more than in March 1997.
	Sixty-seven recruits to South Yorkshire Police were funded by the Crime Fighting Fund (CFF) in 2000–01 and the force expects to recruit 61 CFF officers in 2001–02.

Crime Rates (Bromley)

John Horam: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many notifiable offences there were in the London borough of Bromley in each of the last five years;
	(2)  what the crime clear-up rate was in the London borough of Bromley in each of the last five years.

John Denham: The requested details are given in the table. For the reason given, detection rates are not directly comparable over the years 1997–98 to 2000–01.
	
		Recorded crimes and detection rates—borough of Bromley
		
			 Year ending March Number of recorded crimes Detection rates (Percentage) 
		
		
			 1996–97 22,176 23 
			 1997–98 20,356 24 
			 1998–99(15) 24,172 20 
			 1999–2000(16) 26,474 14 
			 2000–01 26,142 13 
		
	
	(15) There was a change in counting rules for recorded crime on 1 April 1998, which expanded the offences covered, and placed a greater emphasis on counting crimes in terms of numbers of victims. Numbers of recorded crimes and detection rates after this date are therefore not directly comparable with previous years.
	(16) There was a change in the guidance for counting detections on 1 April 1999, with the new guidance providing more precise and rigorous criteria for counting a detection. Detection rates after this date are therefore not directly comparable with previous years.

Public Bodies

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list those public bodies to which his Department appoints members and which are not listed in Public Bodies 2000.

Angela Eagle: Public Bodies 2000 sets out information on non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs), certain public corporations (including nationalised industries) and NHS bodies. There are four types of NDPB: executive NDPBs; advisory NDPBs; tribunal NDPBs; and boards of visitors to penal establishments. The next edition will be published around the end of the year. Information about taskforces, and ad hoc advisory groups is set out in an annual report, published by the Cabinet Office. Copies of Public Bodies 2000 are in the Library and this publication may be accessed via the Cabinet Office's website http:// www.official-documents.co.uk/document/caboff/pb00/ pb00.htm. Copies of the annual report on taskforces and similar bodies have also been placed in the Library and the annual report is being made available on the Cabinet Office's website.
	Home Office Ministers now appoint members to the following bodies, which are not listed in Public Bodies 2000:
	Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner (NDPB)
	Annual Reviewer of the Criminal Justice (Conspiracy and Terrorism) Act 1998
	Annual Reviewer of the Terrorism Act 2000
	Asylum Support Adjudicators
	Charity Commission
	Criminal Justice Consultative Council
	Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of the National Probation Service for England and Wales
	Immigration Nationality Directorate Complaints Audit Committee
	Independent Assessor of Compensation for Miscarriages of Justice
	Metropolitan Police Authority
	Ministerial Advisory Group to the Retail Crime Reduction Action Team
	National Probation Service
	Prisons and Probation Ombudsman
	Property Crime Reduction Action Team
	Retail Crime Reduction Action Team
	Selection Panels for Independent Members of the Police Authorities for 42 Provincial Forces
	Service Authority for the National Criminal Intelligence Service
	Service Authority for the National Crime Squad
	Vehicle Crime Reduction Action Team
	Visitor Committees for Immigration Detention Centres:
	Campsfield House
	Dungavel
	Harmondsworth
	Oakington
	Tinsley House
	Yarl's Wood.
	In addition to the above, the Home Office also has responsibility for the following bodies, to which appointments are made by Her Majesty the Queen or the Prime Minister:
	Investigatory Powers Tribunal (NDPB)
	Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons
	Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary
	Intelligence Services Commissioner
	Interception of Communications Commissioner
	Police Advisory Board.

Immigration

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he routinely takes to monitor immigration through south coast ports; and how that has increased since 11 September.

Angela Eagle: Passengers arriving at south coast ports are routinely examined by an immigration officer in order to establish their nationality and identity and whether they require leave to enter. The personal details of all such passengers are checked against the Immigration Service Warnings Index, a computer system, which provides information to immigration staff for the purpose of immigration control, national security and the prevention of crime. All Immigration Service staff at points of entry on the south coast have access to this system.
	The Immigration Service also routinely conducts vehicle searches in order to detect people attempting to enter the United Kingdom clandestinely. Advanced scanning equipment including x-ray machines and carbon dioxide detectors have been introduced in order to assist in the detection of such people.
	The Immigration Service is developing closer liaison with the French authorities and carriers in order to control the flow of passengers arriving in the United Kingdom without any identifying documentation. A United Kingdom liaison officer from the Immigration Service now operates alongside French colleagues in Paris and juxtaposed immigration controls were established at Waterloo and Paris this year, which enables passengers to be cleared before they pass through the channel tunnel. It has also had significant success in taking forward, in conjunction with the police, the prosecution of people suspected of having attempted to facilitate the illegal entry of inadequately documented foreign nationals.
	Since 11 September all ports throughout the country have been put on a heightened state of alert. The Immigration Service has issued instructions to all operational officers advising them of the procedures to be followed, including closer liaison with the Security Services in the event of known or suspected terrorists being encountered.

Immigration

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what procedure is to be adopted by those seeking to enter the UK via ports without immigration controls or personnel; and how that has changed since 11 September.

Angela Eagle: Immigration Officers routinely attend ports which are normally unstaffed, in order to examine passengers arriving on services originating from outside the European Economic Area. Other services are closely monitored and carriers are required to fax passenger manifests to a designated local immigration office. The personal details of the passengers are checked against the Immigration Service Warnings Index. The Warnings Index computer system is the primary tool for providing information to staff operating the immigration entry control; it also provides information on matters of national security and the prevention of crime. All Immigration Service staff at points of entry have access to this system. If the passenger is a national of a country from outside the European Economic Area, and the immigration officer is satisfied that he qualifies for entry under the Immigration Rules, he will grant him leave to enter, normally following a telephone interview.
	In order to preserve the integrity of the control immigration officers also make regular unannounced visits to unstaffed ports in order to ensure that the correct procedures are being followed. The Immigration Service maintains close links with Customs and Excise and the police, sharing intelligence where appropriate in relation to arriving passengers.
	All ports around the country have been put on a heightened state of alert since 11 September and the Immigration Service has issued instructions to all officers advising them of the procedures to be followed, including close liaison with the security services, in the event of known or suspected terrorists being encountered.

Immigration

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many staff are engaged in monitoring immigration and immigration control through each south coast port; and how that has increased since 11 September.

Angela Eagle: Immigration staff are deployed on a permanent 24 hour basis at all designated points of entry on the south coast. As of 26 November, provisional figures indicate that 367 immigration officers and 106 assistant immigration officers are currently based at Dover, covering a range of functions including interviewing arriving passengers, searching freight vehicles and working at Coquelles, the point of entry for the Channel Tunnel in France. As of 26 November 2001, the staffing figures for the other south coast ports are given in the table.
	
		
			  Port  Immigration Officers Assistant Immigration Officers 
		
		
			 Dover 367 106 
			 Newhaven 11 — 
			 Portsmouth 38 6 
			 Southampton 5 — 
			 Poole 15 5 
			 Plymouth 11 2 
			  
			 Total 447 119 
		
	
	I regret that the specific information requested on the increases in staffing levels since 11 September is not currently available. There is however an on-going national recruitment campaign for the Immigration Service. Between April 2000 and October 2001 staffing levels at Poole, Plymouth, Portsmouth and Southampton increased by 113 per cent., 47 per cent., 43 per cent. and 45 per cent. respectively. Additional resources will be targeted for the south-east region over the next 12 months.

Immigration

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons are known to have entered the UK via ports without immigration personnel, (a) in the last 12 months and (b) since 11 September.

Angela Eagle: I regret that the information requested is not currently available.

Drugs

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the efficiency of the proportion of the drugs budget that has been spent on (a) treatment, (b) the criminal justice system and (c) anti-drugs education in (i) the United Kingdom and (ii) Council of Europe countries.

Bob Ainsworth: Proactive expenditure directly targeted at tackling drug misuse and drug trafficking will total some £932 million in 2001–02 (excluding devolved spending). This is broadly allocated as follows:
	£328 million treatment;
	£92 million protecting young people (education, prevention and early intervention);
	£135 million safeguarding communities (including criminal justice measures and the new Communities against Drugs (CAD) programme);
	and £373 million reducing the availability of drugs, particularly class A drugs; and
	an additional £5 million to support the work of local Drug Action Teams in delivering the strategy locally.
	A number of studies have been published which support the value of Government investment in tackling drug misuse and drug related crime. These include the National Treatment Outcome Research Study (NTORS), whose reports are published by the National Addiction Centre at www.ntors.org.uk and "Drug Treatment and Testing Orders: Final Evaluation Report, Home Office Research Study 21", published October 2000, copies of which are available in the Library of the House of Commons.
	On anti-drugs education I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave him on 6 November 2001, Official Report, column 183W.
	We have not undertaken any assessment of allocation of drugs budgets in other Council of Europe countries.

Drugs

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of Britain's anti-drug budget was devoted to treatment in each of the past six years for which figures are available.

Bob Ainsworth: Information in the form requested is available only for the year 1998–99 onwards. The data refer to proactive investment directly aimed at tackling drug misuse.
	
		
			  Treatment(17) (£ million) Total anti-drug budget (£ million) Treatment as percentage of total 
		
		
			 1998–99 168 525 32 
			 1999–2000 209 619 33.8 
			 2000–01 234 695 33.7 
			 2001–02 328 932 35.2 
		
	
	(17) The amounts detailed comprise mainstream spending by Department of Health, local authorities and the pooled National Treatment Agency budget. They exclude additional Prison Service treatment spend which is under the Communities aim

Entry Clearance

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for entry clearance in the UK were received in the entry clearance office in Dhaka in (a) 1997, (b) 1998, (c) 1999 and (d) 2000; of those, how many were refused at first instance; of those refused, how many were the subject of an appeal; and of those appeals, how many were successful.

Angela Eagle: holding answer 3 December 2001
	Data on entry clearance applications which are received, refused initially and granted following an appeal in Dhaka are given in the table. Statistics on the number of appeals lodged in Dhaka are not available.
	
		Applications for entry clearance(18) made in Dhaka, 1997 to 2000
		
			  1997 1998 1999 2000 
		
		
			 Received 18,310 17,290 19,460 22,410 
			 Refused initially 5,940 4,570 4,530 5,340 
			 Granted on appeal 500 400 390 360 
		
	
	(18) Entry clearance applications for settlement, temporary purposes and certificates of entitlement to the right of abode.

Entry Clearance

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for entry clearance were handled by joint entry clearance offices in (a) 1997, (b) 1998, (c) 1999 and (d) 2000 in (i) Pakistan, (ii) India, (iii) Bangladesh, (iv) Australia, (v) New Zealand and (vi) Canada; and how many of them were allowed at first instance.

Angela Eagle: holding answer 3 December 2001
	Statistics on entry clearance applications granted and refused are given in the table.
	
		Applications for entry clearance(19) made in selected countries(20) -- 1997–2000
		
			  1997 1998 1999 2000 
		
		
			 Pakistan 
			 Initial decisions 52,740 71,080 68,840 84,500 
			 Granted initially 43,660 60,430 54,010 69,400 
			 Refused initially 9,070 10,640 14,830 15,100 
			 Granted on appeal 940 620 270 540 
			 Total decisions 53,680 71,700 69,110 85,040 
			  
			 India 
			 Initial decisions 137,910 157,270 175,300 186,140 
			 Granted initially 125,130 143,000 157,100 165,540 
			 Refused initially 12,780 14,260 18,190 20,590 
			 Granted on appeal 310 270 220 250 
			 Total decisions 138,220 157,540 175,520 186,390 
			  
			 Bangladesh 
			 Initial decisions 18,850 17,480 18,300 22,980 
			 Granted initially 12,920 12,920 13,770 17,640 
			 Refused initially 5,940 4,570 4,530 5,340 
			 Granted on appeal 500 400 390 360 
			 Total decisions 19,350 17,890 18,690 23,340 
			  
			 Australia 
			 Initial decisions (21)— (21)— (21)— (21)— 
			 Granted initially or on appeal 26,080 30,980 33,280 30,500 
			 Refused initially 40 30 40 60 
			 Total decisions 26,130 31,010 33,320 30,550 
			  
			 New Zealand 
			 Initial decisions (21)— (21)— (21)— (21)— 
			 Granted initially or on appeal 12,580 12,970 12,900 11,460 
			 Refused initially 20 20 40 70 
			 Total decisions 12,600 12,990 12,940 11,540 
		
	
	(19) Entry clearance applications for settlement, temporary purposes and certificates of entitlement to the right of abode.
	(20) The country shown is that where the application was made and is not necessarily the nationality of the applicant.
	(21) Not available due to differences in data collection in the countries concerned.

Victims of Crimes

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many letters he has received from victims of crimes of violence in the last 12 months.

Keith Bradley: The Department receives letters from victims of crimes of violence on a wide range of issues. Numbers are not collated centrally.

European Convention on Human Rights

Oliver Letwin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the implementation of Article 5(3) and 5(4) of the ECHR by other EU member states; and if he will make a statement.

Bob Ainsworth: holding answer 3 December 2001
	All other European Union member states are signatories to the European convention on human rights and are obliged, except in times of war and national emergencies when certain derogations may be made, to comply with its provisions.

Either-way Offences

Peter Lilley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many defendants charged with either-way offences consented to trial in magistrates court and pleaded not guilty in the last 12 months for which figures are available;
	(2)  how many defendants charged with either-way offences (a) elected for trial by jury and (b) were directed by magistrates to the Crown court in each year since 1987;
	(3)  what was the average period (a) between committal to start of trial in Crown courts and (b) from first appearance or mode of trial decision to verdict in magistrates courts for cases triable either-way which were contested in each year since 1987;
	(4)  how many (a) contested cases, (b) convictions after trial and (c) acquittals there were in (i) magistrates courts and (ii) Crown courts in each year since 1987;
	(5)  how many (a) either-way and (b) other cases were committed to Crown court for sentence after trial in a magistrates court in each year since 1999.

Keith Bradley: Information collected centrally by the Home Department does not include information on the number of defendants charged with triable either-way offences who consented to trial in a magistrates court, nor does it contain details on defendants' plea at magistrates courts (nor, therefore, data on the number of contested cases), nor information on whether defendants elect Crown court trial or are directed there.
	I am informed by the Lord Chancellor's Department that the average time by stage of proceedings for triable either-way cases is not available centrally.
	The available information is contained in Tables A and B. Table A provides figures on the number of defendants who pleaded "not guilty" for the principal offence at Crown court, who were either convicted or acquitted in England and Wales, for the years 1995 to 2000. Plea data at the Crown court were not collected centrally by this Department before 1996.
	Table B shows the numbers of defendants who were committed for sentence at the Crown court for triable either-way offences and all other offences for England and Wales, for the years 1999 and 2000.
	
		Table A(22): Number of defendants who pleaded "Not guilty"(23) at the Crown court, who were either convicted or acquitted(24) for all offences, England and Wales 1996 to 2000
		
			  1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 
		
		
			 Number of defendants who pleaded not guilty 28,434 29,272 30,195 29,802 30,500 
			 Number of defendants who pleaded not guilty who were convicted 11,869 11,592 10,807 10,226 9,864 
			 Number of defendants who pleaded not guilty who were acquitted 14,894 15,843 17,563 17,829 18,955 
		
	
	(22) Table excludes the figures of those defendants who pleaded "not guilty" who were not tried (ie bench warrants issued, indictment to lie on file, unfit to plead, defendant died etc).
	(23) Not guilty plea to the principal offence.
	(24) Acquitted—includes not guilty, no evidence offered, charge withdrawn, judge rules no case to answer.
	
		Table B: Number of triable either-way cases and all other cases(25) that were committed for sentence to the Crown court after trial in a magistrates court, England and Wales 1999 and 2000
		
			   Defendants committed for sentence  
			 Offence type 1999 2000 
		
		
			 Triable either-way 19,324 16,445 
			 Others 1,093 851 
			 Total 20,417 17,296 
		
	
	(25) Indictable only and summary offences

Conspiracy

Vernon Coaker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what arrangements he has made for the review of the conspiracy provisions in the Criminal Justice (Terrorism and Conspiracy) Act 1998.

David Blunkett: I am please to say that Lord Carlile of Berriew QC has accepted my invitation to carry out the annual review of the Criminal Justice (Terrorism and Conspiracy) Act 1998.
	Written observations about the operation of the Act should be submitted to Lord Carlile c/o room 324, 3rd Floor, Home Office, 50 Queen Anne's Gate, London, SW1H 9AT by 31 April 2002.

Missile Technology

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the next scheduled meeting of MTCR members will be at which the draft International Code of Conduct for its members will be discussed.

Ben Bradshaw: I have been asked to reply.
	Members of the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) agreed at their plenary meeting in Ottawa in September 2001 to separate the draft International Code of Conduct against Ballistic Missile Proliferation (ICOC) from the regime. The UK has been active in the development of the ICOC and hope that it will become a universally accepted international agreement establishing global standards of practice in an area where currently there are none. France has offered to host the first international negotiation session in February 2002. The next meeting of the MTCR will be in March 2002.

Breakfast Clubs

Debra Shipley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if the pilot breakfast clubs set up by the Government are going to be extended.

Hazel Blears: I have been asked to reply.
	The Department has funded the piloting of over 250 breakfast clubs across England as part of an evaluation of their effectiveness. In addition, many breakfast clubs have been funded from a variety of different sources. The piloting is now complete and we will be considering the results of the evaluation and assessing the implications for future breakfast club provision in the context of our wider food in schools programme.

Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Bill

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will define nuclear weapon as it is used in the Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Bill, clauses 47 to 49.

Ben Bradshaw: I have been asked to reply.
	This subject was discussed in another place on 3 December during discussion of this Part of the Anti- terrorism, Crime and Security Bill. I refer my hon. Friend to 3 December 2001, Official Report, House of Lords, columns 643–44.

DEFENCE

Donald Rumsfeld

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many meetings he has had with Mr. Donald Rumsfeld since 11 September.

Geoff Hoon: I have had one meeting with Donald Rumsfeld since 11 September and have spoken to him many times by telephone.

Nuclear Accidents

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what information has been provided to (a) local authorities and (b) emergency services on dealing with an accident involving defence nuclear materials.

Adam Ingram: The Ministry of Defence publishes the Local Authority and Emergency Services Information (LAESI) document to provide information to assist local authorities and emergency services in planning their response in the very unlikely event of an accident during the transportation of defence nuclear materials. The most recent version of the LAESI document (Third Edition) was published on the MOD Internet site in October 2001.
	In addition, MOD nuclear sites and defence-related nuclear licensed sites have nuclear accident response contingency plans that are developed in conjunction with local authorities and emergency services.

Depleted Uranium

Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many armour piercing and hard target penetrating warheads containing depleted uranium have been tested in (a) Scotland and (b) Dumfries and Galloway in each of the last 10 years.

Lewis Moonie: holding answer 26 November 2001
	The number of depleted uranium projectiles fired in Scotland in each of the last 10 years is listed. These tests have all taken place at the Kirkcudbright training area in Dumfries and Galloway.
	
		
			 Year Number 
		
		
			 1991 666 
			 1992 781 
			 1993 682 
			 1994 4,555 
			 1995 280 
			 1996 147 
			 1997 749 
			 1998 134 
			 1999 111 
			 2000 272 
			 2001 (26)109 
		
	
	(26) To date

Depleted Uranium

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the (a) items of equipment, (b) munitions and (c) all other property of his Department (i) which contain depleted uranium and (ii) in which depleted uranium has been used in each of the past 10 years; and if he will make a statement.

Lewis Moonie: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 29 October 2001, Official Report, column 519W, and the answer on 12 November 2001, Official Report, column 523W, to my hon. Friend the Member for Blaenau Gwent (Llew Smith) which indicate the uses to which depleted uranium is put by the Ministry of Defence (MOD) in munitions and in other ways which mirror the widespread use of this material in the United Kingdom. No central record exists of where DU is or has been used or held over the past 10 years—in view of the nature of its use in MOD, the information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost. However, I can say that DU in munitions will at various times have been found in ammunitions depots at Kineton, Longtown and Dean Hill, on ships fitted with Phalanx weapons systems, at the ranges at Eskmeals and Kirkcudbright, and at locations involved in nuclear weapons programmes. DU used for other purposes has been present in a number of the aircraft listed in the earlier answer that are the property of MOD, at RAF Stafford, at the research establishment at Fort Halstead, at sites involved in the naval propulsion programme, and at the Royal hospital, Haslar.

Gulf War (Immunisation)

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what drugs were combined in the vaccine used in the immunisation programme for armed forces personnel in the Gulf War; how many personnel were immunised with the vaccine; whether there were any advance tests done of the effects of combining the drugs into one vaccine; and if he will make a statement.

Lewis Moonie: The immunisation programme for armed forces personnel in the Gulf conflict involved a number of vaccinations. These can be divided into three categories: those which were part of the anti-biological warfare (BW) immunisation programme; routine service health immunisations and third, travel and specific immunisations against the risks associated with individuals' particular employment.
	Details of the anti-BW immunisation programme, including datasheets on the vaccines used, were published in the Ministry of Defence paper: "Background to the Use of Medical Countermeasures to Protect British Forces during the Gulf War (Operation GRANBY)" in October 1997. A further paper entitled: "Implementation of the Immunisation Programme against Biological Warfare Agents for UK Forces during the Gulf Conflict 1990–91" dated January 2000 provides details on how the anti-BW immunisation programme was implemented, including estimates of the numbers immunised. Detailed information on the numbers of routine service, travel and employment specific immunisations administered is not available. Copies of both documents are available in the Library of the House and on the MOD's website at: www.gulfwar.mod.uk.
	As the January 2000 paper makes clear, some individuals would have received a typhoid and tetanus vaccination which is routinely given as one combined immunisation referred to as TABT (typhoid, paratyphoid strains A and B plus tetanus). All of the other immunisations were administered singly. No tests were carried out in advance of the effects of combining a number of drugs into a vaccine because no such combination was intended. Details of such tests as were carried out in advance are set out in the October 1997 paper; some of these are being replicated in MOD's vaccines interactions research programme which is studying whether the vaccines used to protect UK personnel during the Gulf conflict can give rise to adverse health effects. This work is due to complete in 2003. The findings will be published in scientific literature.

Afghanistan

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his answers of 26 November 2001, Official Report, column 668, on Afghanistan, if he will provide details of (a) the number of British armed force casualties suffered to date, (b) where, and under what circumstances, the casualties were caused, (c) when the injured personnel were evacuated back to the United Kingdom and (d) what injuries were suffered; and how many (i) injuries and (ii) deaths have been caused to allied forces operating in Afghanistan.

Geoff Hoon: I can confirm that four British military personnel were wounded on operations in Afghanistan, one seriously. They are all now back in the UK receiving treatment. An additional member of the armed forces has also had to return to the UK for a medical assessment. I am withholding further details of the circumstances and the injuries in accordance with Exemptions 1 and 12 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.
	It would not be appropriate for me to provide information about casualties sustained by other coalition members.

Afghanistan

Paul Farrelly: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans there are to clear unexploded (a) cluster bombs, (b) land mines and (c) other ordnance from Afghanistan.

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the steps that will be taken to clear unexploded cluster bombs after the end of the military action in Afghanistan.

Adam Ingram: There is a large amount of unexploded ordnance in Afghanistan, a legacy of years of conflict. The international community will provide assistance in clearing it. Detailed plans have yet to be developed, though humanitarian agencies specialising in mine clearance are already present in Afghanistan.
	The UK forces at Bagram include a number of Royal Engineers, who have some explosive ordnance disposal capability.

Base Security

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the security issues associated with the Peel Circus/Pockeridge Lane development adjacent to Basil Hill Barracks, Cariton, and Defence Communication Services Agency, Copenacre; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: Security is always a prime concern. The security arrangements at Corsham have been examined in the light of the proposed civilian housing development and appropriate measures will be taken to ensure that military and civilian personnel at the site are properly protected.

Gulf War (Medical Records)

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  how many medical records have been requested by armed services personnel who served in the Gulf War; how many have been found; whether all requests for medical record information have been granted; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  if he will make a statement on the management of medical records from the Gulf War and their accuracy.

Lewis Moonie: Information is not readily available that would enable the Ministry of Defence to identify, from the large number of requests for medical records received, how many were in respect of individuals who served in the 1990–91 Gulf conflict and, of those, in how many cases medical records were available. However, in view of the Government's undertaking to be as informative and thorough as possible in addressing issues of concern to Gulf veterans, I have asked that the information requested be researched. I will write to the hon. Member as soon as possible placing a copy of my letter in the Library of the House. The policy of the MOD for some years has been that no medical records should be withheld except where legislation so requires.
	In October 2001, MOD's Gulf Veterans Illnesses Unit updated and re-issued a paper previously produced in April 1999 entitled "Medical Records in the Gulf". This is available on MOD's website at: www.gulfwar.mod.uk. I have arranged for a copy of this paper to be placed in the Library of the House. The paper describes arrangements for medical record keeping during the Gulf conflict; discusses a number of reasons why records that were kept may not have been complete, and provides guidance to Gulf veterans on how to obtain their service medical records.

Service Aircraft

Peter Viggers: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the average age of aircraft is in the (a) Army, (b) Royal Navy and (c) Royal Air Force.

Adam Ingram: This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

International Military Services Ltd.

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence who the board members of International Military Services Ltd. are.

Geoff Hoon: holding answer 3 December 2001
	The board members of International Military Services Ltd. are:
	Sir Kenneth Macdonald KCB
	Mr. D. G. Jones
	Mr. N. A. D. Sharvell.

International Military Services Ltd.

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if the provisions for contingent liabilities in respect of International Military Services Ltd. have been drawn upon since the company became inactive; and if he plans to change the size of the contingent liability provision.

Geoff Hoon: holding answer 3 December 2001
	The contingent liabilities in respect of International Military Services Ltd. have not been drawn on since the company ceased trading but they remain under review.

Fylingdales

Alan Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what studies have been made of the upgrading requirements of Fylingdales.

Adam Ingram: Since RAF Fylingdales was established in 1963, there have been numerous studies that have led to the upgrading of equipment and infrastructure. The most recent addressed security, and its recommendations are currently being implemented.

Aircraft Movements (Nuclear Weapons)

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many movements of (a) UK aircraft and (b) US aircraft occurred within UK airspace in the last year for which figures are available where nuclear weapons were carried; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 3 December 2001
	It is current UK policy not to transport UK nuclear weapons by air. The number of US flights carrying nuclear weapons each year within UK airspace depends on programme requirements which are confidential between the two Governments. I am therefore withholding the information requested under Exemption 1 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

Royal Marines

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on undermanning in the Royal Marines.

Adam Ingram: The Royal Marines continue to be challenged by overall undermanning of about 6 per cent., although recruiting is meeting current targets, retention rates need to be improved and a range of measures are in hand to achieve this. We are confident that the Royal Marine forces deployed on operations will be manned to the appropriate level for any likely task arising.

Spanish Airspace

Syd Rapson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 29 November 2001, Official Report, column 1055W, on Gibraltar, if he will initiate discussions to permit the overflight of Spanish airspace by UK military aircraft.

Adam Ingram: We have no plans specifically to discuss the overflight of Spanish airspace by UK military aircraft, but the on-going discussions with Spain under the Brussels Process aims to resolve all outstanding issues between the UK and Spain over Gibraltar.

Efficiency Savings

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the efficiency savings that have been secured by the United Kingdom armed forces in each of the last three years.

Geoff Hoon: Since 1998–99, the Ministry of Defence has achieved the following efficiency savings, against the challenging targets in our public service agreement.
	
		£ million 
		
			  1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 
		
		
			 Cumulative target 505 998 1,499 
			 Cumulative savings 594 1,126 (27)1,472 
			 Annual target 505 475 430 
			 Annual savings 594 511 (27)318 
		
	
	(27) Achievement still being validated
	Note:
	All figures expressed at outturn prices (uprated where appropriate to take account of inflation)
	These efficiency savings help ensure that the MOD is able to invest in increasing the military capability of the armed forces.

Military Personnel

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many military personnel are serving (a) in and around Gibraltar, (b) in and around Cyprus and (c) in and around the Falkland Islands; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: The following table shows the number of UK regular forces serving in and around Gibraltar, Cyprus and the Falkland Islands as at 1 September 2001.
	
		
			  Gibraltar Cyprus Falkland Islands 
		
		
			 Naval Service 237 8 92 
			 Army 70 2,053 457 
			 RAF 114 1,089 726 
			  
			 Total 421 3,150 1,275 
		
	
	Source:
	DASA (Tri-Service)

Armed Forces Housing Stock

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his latest estimate is of the value of the armed forces housing stock; and if he will make a statement.

Lewis Moonie: I will write to the hon. Member and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

Armed Forces (Northern Ireland)

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many military personnel have been allocated to service in Northern Ireland for 2001–02; and how many there have been in each of the last 20 years.

Adam Ingram: The number of military personnel (Army, Navy and RAF) stationed in Northern Ireland for the last 15 years is set out in the table (figures for the Navy and RAF prior to 1985 are not available):
	
		
			 As at 31 October Number of security force personnel 
		
		
			 1985 16,536 
			 1986 18,851 
			 1987 18,003 
			 1988 18,295 
			 1989 18,626 
			 1990 17,628 
			 1991 17,962 
			 1992 18,982 
			 1993 19,022 
			 1994 18,345 
			 1995 17,070 
			 1996 16,490 
			 1997 16,716 
			 1998 15,566 
			 1999 14,459 
			 2000 13,640 
			 2001 13,820 
		
	
	As well as those troops stationed in Northern Ireland there are troops under the command of the General Officer Commanding Northern Ireland (GOC NI) that are rear based on the mainland and can be called forward to the Province as and when required. In addition other troops can be made available to the GOC NI from Land Command, if required, to help out during the height of the summer marching season.
	The security situation is the determinant as to how many security force personnel are stationed in the Province at any given time. Therefore, we cannot say how many personnel may be needed in Northern Ireland next year.

Armed Forces (Northern Ireland)

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his estimate is of the level of expenditure on armed forces based in Northern Ireland for each of the years 1984–85 to 2001–02; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: The General Officer Commanding Northern Ireland was vested as a Top Level Budget (TLB) holder on 1 April 1994. Figures for the total expenditure in his TLB are in the annual Appropriation Account, copies of which are in the Library of the House.

Personnel Statistics

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his estimate is of the number of personnel in the (a) Army, (b) Navy and (c) Air Force for each year from 1975 to 2001 and for 2002 to 2004 (planned); and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: Estimates of the number of regular personnel by individual service for each year from 1975 to 2001 are shown in the table:
	
		Trained strength of UK regulars
		
			  Naval service Army RAF 
		
		
			 1975 68,943 151,422 90,329 
			 1976 68.7 151.2 85.6 
			 1977 68.9 150.2 81.7 
			 1978 68.8 143.3 79.1 
			 1979 65.9 138.6 79.7 
			 1980 63.8 139.0 82.2 
			 1981 65,539 146,833 86,180 
			 1982 67,269 150,757 86,485 
			 1983 66,085 147,700 84,488 
			 1984 65,394 145,401 86,116 
			 1985 64,196 145,916 87,119 
			 1986 61,529 145,289 86,945 
			 1987 59,473 145,030 87,578 
			 1988 58,874 142,568 87,639 
			 1989 57,475 139,409 86,149 
			 1990 56,771 137,240 83,475 
			 1991 55,714 135,522 82,621 
			 1992 55,767 133,366 81,973 
			 1993 55,282 126,486 78,863 
			 1994 52,414 116,113 74,209 
			 1995 48,193 104,532 69,431 
			 1996 45,550 100,077 62,510 
			 1997 41,680 97,756 54,196 
			 1998 40,356 97,452 52,677 
			 1999 39,071 96,300 51,761 
			 2000 38,535 96,475 50,993 
			 2001 38,023 96,285 49,847 
		
	
	Note:
	The figures for 1976 to 1980 have been rounded because precise data are not available.
	Current estimates of the number of personnel planned for 2002 to 2004 for the Navy, Army and Air Force are shown in the table:
	
		
			  Naval Service Army RAF 
		
		
			 2002 39,257 96,724 48,641 
			 2003 39,048 97,240 47,690 
			 2004 38,581 98,256 48,717

Kosovo

Desmond Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  on what occasions injured service men have been evacuated from Kosovo in the last month;
	(2)  what delays have taken place when providing air transport to evacuate service casualties from Kosovo in the last month;
	(3)  what transfers of service men evacuated from Kosovo have taken place between Birmingham hospitals in the last month; and if he will make a statement giving reasons for the transfers.

Adam Ingram: Eight service personnel were aeromedically evacuated from Kosovo to the UK in November. The return of three patients to the UN on 6 November took around four hours longer than originally scheduled, due to the distance some members of the Critical Care Team had to travel to reach RAF Lyneham, the subsequent requirement to undertake a crew change in Italy, and the failure of airfield lights there. We would normally expect aeromedical evacuation from Kosovo to take around 24 hours. On this occasion it took around 26 hours.
	Seven of the eight patients went to the Centre for Defence Medicine. Six were admitted to the University Hospital Birmingham NHS Trust and one was admitted to City Hospital, Birmingham. None of these were transferred from one Birmingham hospital to another. However, one of them was subsequently transferred to a hospital in Scotland for rehabilitative care closer to his family.

EU Deployment

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) tanks, (b) fixed wing aircraft and (c) military personnel are serving in (i) Germany and (ii) other European Union countries; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: There are currently 216 Challenger 2 Main Battle Tanks in Germany, and none in other European Union countries (excluding the United Kingdom).
	There have been no fixed wing aircraft based in Germany since September 2001.
	There are 17,350 military personnel serving in Germany and 1,400 serving in other European Union countries (excluding the UK) at 1 September 2001.

Overseas Service

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his estimate is of the proportion of the United Kingdom army serving overseas as at 31 December in each of the past 10 years; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: The following represents the proportion of UK trained Army personnel (excluding Gurkhas and Full-time Reserve Service) serving overseas as at 31 December in each of the previous 10 years:
	
		Percentage 
		
			 As at 31 December Proportion serving overseas 
		
		
			 1991(28) 44 
			 1992(28) 41 
			 1993 35 
			 1994 31 
			 1995 33 
			 1996 33 
			 1997 31 
			 1998 31 
			 1999 32 
			 2000 30 
		
	
	(28) The figures for years 1991 and 1992 are as at 1 April as these were the only data available from Defence Analytical Services Agency

Departmental Assets

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assets owned by (a) his Department and (b) the armed forces have been sold over the last three years; which of these assets were registered in the National Asset Register; what the sale proceeds were from these assets; and if he will make a statement.

Lewis Moonie: Information on significant asset disposals in Financial Years 1998–99 and 1999–2000 is contained in the Ministry of Defence section (Section 7) of the National Asset Register (NAR) published by the Treasury in July 2001. The NAR provides information by Top Level Budget Holder and Agency Chief Executive, and a copy has been placed in the Library of the House.
	Detailed information on disposals in 2000–01 is not yet held centrally but I will write to the hon. Member when the information becomes available.

Civilian Employees

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent action he has taken to reduce the number of civilian employees of his Department and of the armed forces; and if he will make a statement.

Lewis Moonie: I assume the hon. Member is referring to civilian employees of the Department whether working in direct support of the armed forces or elsewhere in the Ministry of Defence. As explained in the Strategic Defence Review White Paper (Cm 3999), changes in civilian personnel numbers result from the drive for greater effectiveness and better value for money. Para 30 section 2.1 of the UK Defence Statistics 2001 contains details of the changes and copies have been placed in the Library of the House.

Aircraft Orders

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to order (a) the Eurofighter and (b) heavy lift transport aircraft; and if he will make a statement.

Lewis Moonie: In respect of Eurofighter, the order for the first tranche of aircraft, including 55 for the United Kingdom, was placed in 1998. The contracts for the second and final tranches are expected to be placed during 2003 and 2007, respectively.
	On A400M, the UK, together with other nations, signed a Memorandum of Understanding at the Paris Air Show in June 2001 covering the development and production phase of the A400M military transport aircraft. Negotiation of the associated commercial contract is almost complete and the aim is to sign it by the end of this year.

Lynx Helicopters

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the need to renew and refit Lynx helicopters; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: Our assessment of renewing or refitting the Army Lynx helicopters has shown that it could not provide the capability required. The Battlefield Light Utility Helicopter project is intended to replace the capability provided by the Lynx Marks 7 and 9. It is planned to enter service from the middle of this decade. Plans announced in the Strategic Defence Review to convert 10 Naval Lynx Mk3 helicopters to Mk8 standard have been put on hold pending the outcome of studies into a potential alternative, a Surface Combatant Maritime Rotorcraft capability.

Apache Helicopters

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Apache helicopters he has ordered; and what plans he has to increase this order.

Lewis Moonie: We have 67 WAH-62 Apache helicopters on order. We have no plans to increase this order.

Helicopters

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many helicopters are in service in the (a) Army, (b) Navy and (c) Air Force; if he will break these down by number and type; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: The numbers of helicopters in service in the Army, Navy and Air Force as at 26 November, broken down by number and type are shown in the table.
	
		
			 Helicopter Actual operating fleet Sustainment fleet(29) Disposal(30) Comments 
		
		
			 Navy 
			 Merlin Mk1 20 15 0 — 
			 Sea King AEW Mk2/7 10 3 0 — 
			 Sea King HU Mk5 10 5 2 — 
			 Sea King ASW Mk6 18 0 26(31) — 
			 Lynx HAS Mk3 31 7 0 — 
			 Lynx HAS Mk8 22 14 0 — 
			 Sea King Mk4 33 4 0 JHC Asset 
			  
			 Army 
			 Lynx 83(32) 40 0 JHC Asset 
			 Gazelle 120(32) 14 0 JHC Asset 
			 Bell 212 3 0 0 JHC Asset 
			 A 109 3 1 0 JHC Asset 
			 Apache AH Mk1 10 8 0 JHC Asset 
			  
			 RAF 
			 Sea King Mk3 19 0 0 — 
			 Sea King Mk3a 6 0 0 — 
			 Merlin Mk3 6 1 0 JHC Asset 
			 Wessex HC2 8 2 0 JHC Asset 
			 Puma 35 6 0 JHC Asset 
			 Chinook Mk3 0 4 0 JHC Asset 
			 Chinook Mk2/2a 28 12 0 JHC Asset 
		
	
	(29) The sustainment fleet includes helicopters undergoing scheduled base maintenance, those that are in development and those held in reserve.
	(30) Helicopters awaiting disposal.
	(31) This figure reflects the airframes awaiting disposal following the introduction of the Merlin aircraft.
	(32) Includes nine aircraft that are School of Army Aviation assets.

Aircraft Carriers

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his estimate is of the (a) purchase cost and (b) running cost of the two aircraft carriers which he plans to secure for the Royal Navy.

Lewis Moonie: The purchase of the two new aircraft carriers for the Royal Navy is expected to cost up to £2.9 billion. It is too early in the programme to provide definitive figures on the anticipated running costs of the carriers, since much will depend on the eventual design that is selected. Reliable forecasts for the carriers' running costs are being developed to inform the main investment decision on their build, which is currently scheduled for the end of 2003. As the ships are being designed to reduce support costs from the outset and will not undergo long refit periods while in-service, it is our intention that the overall running costs for the enhanced capability that CVF will offer should be less than that for the current class of ships.

QuinetiQ

Desmond Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much has been spent on external expertise and advice in connection with the flotation of QinetiQ.

Geoff Hoon: Since work began on a PPP solution for the future of DERA following the Strategic Defence Review in 1998, external advice has been received on most aspects of the PPP process. This includes advice in support of the detailed options study and the subsequent further work on selected options, legal and financial aspects of the split of DERA and on the eventual transaction. £6.4 million has been spent so far. These costs are subject to continuous scrutiny to ensure that the services of advisers offer value for money. The costs of QinetiQ's advisers are being met by the company.

Historic Buildings

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what (a) heritage and (b) historic buildings are owned by his Department; and what is their value is in each case.

Lewis Moonie: I have placed in the Library of the House a list of the historic and heritage properties and scheduled monuments, which are in the Ministry of Defence's care. I regard these properties as very valuable in both national and departmental terms, and we seek to maintain them to the highest appropriate standards.
	Valuation of such properties is, however, difficult whether in terms of the contribution they make to our business, or in open market terms. For MOD accounting purposes we record only the replacement value of operational assets (for instance, an historic building used for administrative purposes would be valued as an office with certain capacity). The National Asset Register records historic/heritage properties as having nil value. Given the number of properties in the keeping of the MOD, as well as their often unique history and location, the information required is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost, which would in any case be of questionable practical use.

Defence Spending

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his estimate is of the additional planned spending which would be needed to stabilise the share of UK defence spending in relation to UK gross domestic product at the 2001 level until 2005; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: Using the resource based figures announced in the 2000 Spending Review, defence budget expenditure is expected to represent the following share of GDP for 2001–02 to 2003–04:
	
		
			 Financial year Percentage GDP 
		
		
			 2001–02 2.4 
			 2002–03 2.3 
			 2003–04 2.3 
		
	
	I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 30 October 2001, Official Report, columns 565–66W, which reported the figures for 2001–02 and 2002–03.
	Those figures imply that a further 0.1 per cent. of GDP would be required in 2002–03 and 2003–04 to maintain UK defence spending at a constant percentage of UK GDP, though the figure for 2001–02 includes estimated conflict prevention funding (which cannot be forecast for subsequent years). The defence budget will, however, increase in real terms over each of these years. The defence budget for 2004–05 will be agreed during Spending Review 2002.

Defence Spending

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what his estimate is of total United Kingdom defence spending over the last 25 years; what value for money assessment of defence expenditure he has conducted; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what (a) underspends and (b) overspends have been recorded against his Department's total budget in each of the years 1996–97 to 2000–01; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: Defence spending for the last 25 completed financial years was as follows:
	
		
			  £ million 
		
		
			 1976–77 6,158 
			 1977–78 6,788 
			 1978–79 7,596 
			 1979–80 9,408 
			 1980–81 11,451 
			 1981–82 12,806 
			 1982–83 14,630 
			 1983–84 15,732 
			 1984–85 17,450 
			 1985–86 18,263 
			 1986–87 18,410 
			 1987–88 18,922 
			 1988–89 19,221 
			 1989–90 20,777 
			 1990–91 22,207 
			 1991–92 24,438 
			 1992–93 22,910 
			 1993–94 22,757 
			 1994–95 22,562 
			 1995–96 21,517 
			 1996–97 22,345 
			 1997–98 21,610 
			 1998–99 22,475 
			 1999–2000 22,549 
			 2000–01 23,538 
		
	
	Note:
	These figures are not adjusted for inflation
	The following underspends/overspends were recorded during the period 1996–97 to 2000–01:
	
		
			 Year £ million 
		
		
			 1996–97 (33)246 
			 1997–98 (34)225 
			 1998–99 (34)74 
			 1999–2000 (34)318 
			 2000–01 (34)72 
		
	
	(33) Overspend
	(34) Underspend
	More detailed breakdowns are available in the Department Appropriation Accounts, copies of which are available in the Library of the House.
	The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is committed to the pursuit of efficiency and value for money. The MOD's Public Service Agreement was published in December 1998, and set key targets for the period 1999–2000 to 2001–02, reflecting the outcome of the Strategic Defence Review. The PSA set many challenging value for money targets, and the Department has made good progress against these. MOD's Departmental Performance Report (DPR) was recently published and set out in detail progress against each target. A copy of the DPR has been placed in the Library of the House.

Warships

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the orders for new warships which he has (a) placed and (b) plans to place for delivery prior to 2015; what his estimate of the cost of these new ships is; when the in-service expected date is in each case; and if he will make a statement.

Lewis Moonie: This Government are undertaking the largest programme of new warship building for many years. Since May 1997 the Ministry of Defence has placed:
	(a) contracts for four Alternative Landing Ships Logistic (ALSLs) at an overall value of about £300 million, expected in-service between late 2004 and late 2005. The ALSL class is now expected to be in service earlier than previously envisaged, due to good co-operation between the two shipbuilders (Swan Hunter Tyneside and BAE Systems Marine) concerned;
	(b) a prime contract, valued at about £1.3 billion, for three new Type 45 Destroyers, the first of which is expected to enter service in 2007. We announced earlier this year our intention, subject to commercial negotiations, to amend this contract to increase our commitment to a total of six ships.
	(c) a lease contract for three new offshore patrol vessels, expected to enter service between autumn 2002 and autumn 2003. The total cost of the lease package is approximately £60 million.
	(d) a contract for two Survey Vessels, at an approximate cost of £130 million for the vessels and 25 years of support, expected in-service in winter 2002 and summer 2003.
	As to our future plans, we expect to purchase two new Future Aircraft Carriers, for which an order is planned in 2004, costing up to £2.9 billion at outturn prices. We currently plan that the first ship will enter service in 2012. Other orders over the next few years will include further ASTUTE class submarines and Type 45 Destroyers.
	Our longer-term plans include the future surface combatant programme to replace the current Type 22 and Type 23 Frigates and a variety of other vessels. We are also investigating options to replace the capabilities currently filled by those ships in the Royal Fleet Auxiliary fleet which are scheduled to leave service towards the end of the decade. It is not possible to provide accurate details of the cost or individual in-service dates of these vessels at this stage.
	It remains our policy that all new warships will be built in the UK.

Submarines

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many submarines are in service in the Royal Navy; and how many there were in each of the past 25 years.

Adam Ingram: The numbers of submarines in service in the Royal Navy, inclusive of vessels which are operational, at extended readiness, or in refit and repair, for this year and in each of the past 25 years is as follows:
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 2001 16 
			 2000 16 
			 1999 15 
			 1998 15 
			 1997 15 
			 1996 15 
			 1995 16 
			 1994 21 
			 1993 23 
			 1992 23 
			 1991 27 
			 1990 31 
			 1989 31 
			 1988 31 
			 1987 32 
			 1986 33 
			 1985 32 
			 1984 31 
			 1983 30 
			 1982 31 
			 1981 32 
			 1980 31 
			 1979 30 
			 1978 31 
			 1977 31 
			 1976 31 
			 1975 32 
		
	
	Note:
	Figures are as 1 April in each year

Royal Navy

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) aircraft carriers, (b) cruisers, (c) destroyers, (d) frigates and (e) mine-sweepers have been in operation with the Royal Navy in each of the last 25 years; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: The numbers of (a) aircraft carriers, (b) cruisers, (c) destroyers, (d) frigates and (e) mine- sweepers that have been in operation with the Royal Navy, for this year and in each of the past 25 years is as follows:
	
		
			  Aircraft carriers(35) Cruisers Destroyers Frigates Mine Counter measures vessels(36) 
		
		
			 2001 3 0 8 18 19 
			 2000 3 0 10 20 20 
			 1999 3 0 10 22 18 
			 1998 3 0 10 20 16 
			 1997 2 0 10 19 16 
			 1996 2 0 10 22 16 
			 1995 2 0 10 20 18 
			 1994 3 0 10 22 18 
			 1993 2 0 11 27 30 
			 1992 2 0 11 32 31 
			 1991 2 0 10 31 35 
			 1990 2 0 12 31 37 
			 1989 3 0 11 30 36 
			 1988 2 0 11 31 35 
			 1987 2 0 13 33 36 
			 1986 3 0 13 34 39 
			 1985 2 0 12 34 32 
			 1984 3 0 13 39 34 
			 1983 3 0 13 42 34 
			 1982 2 0 11 38 31 
			 1981 2 0 12 35 30 
			 1980 2 0 10 38 34 
			 1979 2 1 10 42 35 
			 1978 3 2 10 43 34 
			 1977 2 2 8 40 34 
			 1976 2 1 8 46 37 
			 1975 3 2 10 47 40 
		
	
	(35) Aircraft Carriers include Commando Carriers and the Landing Platform Helicopter.
	(36) Mine Counter measures vessels incorporates Minesweepers and Minehunters.
	Note:
	Ships 'in operation' include those that were operational or engaged in preparing for service, trials or training as at 1 April in each year, but does not include ships in refit or those held at extended readiness.

Defence Budget

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent estimate he has made of the defence budget as a share of UK gross domestic product; and how this compares with other (a) European Union and (b) NATO countries; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: The defence budget share of gross domestic product for financial year 2000–01 was 2.5 per cent. From data supplied by nations, we estimate the NATO average to be around 2.2 per cent. for a comparable period. Although there are no equivalent EU data, we believe the average was around 1.8 per cent.

Tanks

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on his plans to order a new tank for the Army.

Lewis Moonie: We are not currently planning to order a new tank for the Army. Deliveries of the Challenger 2 Main Battle Tank (CR2) have only recently been completed. The CR2 provides an excellent capability, ensuring that British forces will continue to be properly equipped to conduct high intensity warfare for many years to come. However, as one would expect, research and evaluation into its potential successor is taking place now. It is too early to properly identity the type of vehicle that will eventually replace the CR2.

Tanks

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many tanks are in service and how many have been operational in each of the past 20 years; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave on 28 November 2001, Official Report, columns 913–14W to the hon. Member for New Forest, West (Mr. Swayne), regarding the number of armoured vehicles currently in service. It is not possible to state how many have been operational during the last 20 years as this information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Spending Review

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he plans to make a submission to Her Majesty's Treasury on his Department's expenditure plans for the next comprehensive spending review; and if he will make a statement.

Geoff Hoon: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on 25 June 2001, Official Report, columns 38–39W to my hon. Friend the Member for Preseli Pembrokeshire (Mrs. Lawrence), which set out the Government's priorities and broad timetable for the spending review 2002.

Low Flying

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will make a statement on the guidelines which his Department issues in relation to low flying by (a) helicopters and (b) fixed wing aircraft in UK airspace.

Lewis Moonie: Routine low flying by fixed wing aircraft takes place between 2,000 feet and 250 feet Minimum Separation Distance and for helicopters from 500 feet Minimum Separation Distance down to ground level. Guidelines for all military aviators on the conduct of flying in the UK Low Flying System are contained in departmental regulations and are reinforced on training courses and supplemented as appropriate by briefings. Information is also promulgated through Notices to Airmen enabling aircrew to plan and execute sorties that reflect the daily situation in the UK Low Flying System. General information is available to the public on the website www.lowflying.mod.uk and in a leaflet entitled "Military Low Flying an Essential Skill", that may be obtained on request from the following address:
	Directorate of Air Staff (Lower Airspace) Complaints and Enquiries
	Room 664
	Ministry of Defence
	Metropole Building
	Northumberland Avenue
	London WC2N 5BP.

Procurement

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his estimate is of the percentage share accounted for by procurement costs as a portion of the total budget of his Department for (a) each of the past 10 years and (b) the next three years; and if he will make a statement.

Lewis Moonie: I will write to the hon. Member and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

Procurement

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his estimate is of spending on defence procurement for the (a) Army, (b) Navy and (c) Air Force for each of the years from 1980–81 to 2001–02.

Lewis Moonie: Figures for Ministry of Defence spending on defence equipment for the years 1980–81 to 1990–91 are contained within the respective "Volume 2 of the Statement on the Defence Estimates". From 1991–92 they have been included in the "UK Defence Statistics". Copies are held in the Library of the House.
	The data in these documents are broadly split by type—ie whether it is air, land, sea or 'other' equipment for the years where this information is available. The 'other' category refers to equipment not specific to a particular environment. This division (air, land, sea and other) does not necessarily match the particular end destination of the equipment (ie RAF, Army and Navy). For example, not all aerospace equipment is used by the RAF.
	From 1999–2000, the division of equipment expenditure into air, land, sea and other is not available due to changes in the Departments accounting procedures and a move to Tri-Service based procurement.

Procurement

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are the 10 most expensive procurement projects planned by his Department for the period 2001 to 2011; and if he will make a statement.

Lewis Moonie: The Comptroller and Auditor General published his report on the Ministry of Defence Major Projects Report 2001 (MPR 2001) on 23 November. This report contains details of the top 20 projects that have passed the main investment decision based on forecast future spend and a copy is available in the Library of the House.
	The 10 projects with the highest total project cost in MPR 2001 are as follows:
	Eurofighter
	Merlin HM Mk1 Maritime Helicopter
	Attack Helicopter
	Nimrod Maritime Reconnaissance and Attack Mk4
	Astute Class Submarine
	Spearfish Heavyweight Torpedo
	Hercules C130J
	Conventionally Armed Stand-Off Missile
	Tornado Mid-Life Update
	High Velocity Missile.

Fixed Wing Aircraft

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many operational fixed wing aircraft there are in the Royal Air Force; and if he will break down this figure by aircraft type and number.

Adam Ingram: On 23 November 2001, there were 676 fixed wing aircraft in the RAF's Actual Operating Fleet. The Actual Operating Fleet comprises all aircraft which are fully operational or in 1st or 2nd line maintenance. The breakdown of this figure by aircraft type and number is detailed in the table:
	
		
			 Aircraft type Number of aircraft 
		
		
			 BAe 125 ccMk3 5 
			 BAe 146 ccMk2 2 
			 C-17 4 
			 Canberra 6 
			 Chipmunk 2 
			 Dakota 1 
			 Dominie 10 
			 Harrier GR7 50 
			 Harrier T10 9 
			 Sea Harrier FA2 27 
			 Sea Harrier T8 4 
			 Hawk 110 
			 Hercules C-130J 23 
			 Hercules C-130K 26 
			 Islander 1 
			 Jaguar 43 
			 Jetstream TMk 21 
			 Nimrod 19 
			 Sentry E-3D AEW Mk1 6 
			 Tornado F3 86 
			 Tornado GR1/4 117 
			 Tristar 8 
			 Tucano Mk1 77 
			 VC10 19 
		
	
	The RAF also operates the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, which comprises seven fixed wing aircraft. The breakdown of this figure by aircraft type and number is detailed in the table:
	
		
			 Aircraft type Number 
		
		
			 Hurricane 2 
			 Lancaster B1 1 
			 Spitfire 4

Defence Secondary Care Agency

Desmond Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  how much has been spent on financial arrangements to encourage NHS trusts to achieve waiting time targets set by the Defence Secondary Care Agency in each year since the arrangements have been in place;
	(2)  pursuant to his answer of 21 November 2001, Official Report, column 293W, what financial arrangements exist to encourage NHS trusts to achieve waiting time targets set by the Defence Secondary Care Agency.

Lewis Moonie: The financial arrangements with Ministry of Defence Hospital Unit (MDHU) Trusts referred to in my answer to the hon. Member of 21 November 2001, Official Report, column 293W, are based on provisions set out in Health Service Circular 1999/112, dated 21 May 1999. They provide financial incentives for the individual trusts to achieve waiting time targets set by the Defence Secondary Care Agency (DSCA), in the form of two stages of premium, set at a percentage of the basic tariff. The first stage premium is payable so long as there is clear evidence that the trust is attempting to achieve the targets. The second, small premium, is payable on a specialty by specialty basis, separately as regards the targets for out-patient attendance and in-patient admissions, and is dependant on the full achievement of the target.
	In the two years since these arrangements have been in place, the total expenditure on the premiums has been £1.230 million in 1999–2000 and £1.242 million in 2000–01.

European Security and Defence Policy

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will estimate the annual cost to the EU of the EU structures that have been created to support the European Security and Defence Policy.

Ben Bradshaw: I have been asked to reply.
	The annual cost to member states of maintaining the European Council structures supporting ESDP on the European Council Secretariat budget for the last financial year was £5,800,000. This has been met within existing EU resources.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

NHS Reform

Tim Loughton: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will list those areas of NHS reform under this Government which he described as having gone backwards on 25 November.

Christopher Leslie: I refer the hon. Member to the answer that my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister gave to the right hon. Member for Chingford and Woodford Green (Mr. Duncan Smith) on 28 November 2001, Official Report, columns 961–62.

Public Service Agreements

John Bercow: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on progress with the Public Service Agreement target for delivery of the Civil Service reforms programme.

Christopher Leslie: My Department continues to drive the Civil Service reform programme across Departments, and good progress has been made against the many actions which were set out in Sir Richard Wilson's initial Reform Report which was published in December 1999. A report on progress was published in December 2000, and a further report is planned early in the new year.
	These reports, and information on progress across the many separate strands of the Civil Service reform programme are published on the dedicated website: www.civil-service.gov.uk/reform.

Public Service Agreements

John Bercow: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on progress on the Public Service Agreement target for the review of corporate human resources systems which was subsumed within the Civil Service reforms programme.

Christopher Leslie: The Cabinet Office continues to drive forward the programme of Civil Service reform across Departments, and intends to publish the second annual report early in the new year. I am pleased to be able to give some examples of progress already made.
	By April 2002, around 80 per cent. of all Departments will have reviewed their pay and performance management systems. A new corporate performance management system for the Senior Civil Service, based on a new competency framework, was introduced in April of this year, and payments under the new system will be made commencing April 2002.
	The Cabinet Office has undertaken a review of the Fast Stream, with the aim of retaining the scheme's appeal with the best of the current applicants and adding applications from the best graduates from under- represented groups.
	A new E-recruitment gateway has been established, which is currently being used by over 50 Departments and agencies and attracting over 52,000 hits a month.
	Following wide consultation, a new and more flexible pension scheme has been developed for Civil Servants and is being introduced with effect from October 2002.
	A copy of the Civil Service Reform Report 2000 is available in the Library of the House and can be accessed through the following website: www.civil-service.gov.uk/ reform.

Public Service Agreements

Norman Baker: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will list the (a) renovations and (b) other works being carried out to the Ripley buildings; when this work was agreed to; and what is the total expected cost of this work.

Christopher Leslie: The project to refurbish Admiralty Arch, Kirkland House and the Ripley Building was announced to the Public Administration Select Committee by the then Minister for the Cabinet Office on 8 December 1998.
	The work to the Ripley and Kirkland Buildings (collectively known as 22 Whitehall) is a major refurbishment including the installation of new lifts, new mechanical and electrical and plumbing services. In addition, both buildings have required major structural repairs.
	A contract in 1999 to undertake structural repairs to the Ripley Building cost £2.079 million excluding VAT. The major contract currently under way to undertake the refurbishment of 22 Whitehall as a whole is subject to an incentivised arrangement with the contractor. In the light of this arrangement, the final cost to the Cabinet Office cannot be precisely estimated at this time. However, the current expectation is that the cost will be of the order of £27 million (excluding VAT).

WALES

Local Health Boards

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many local health boards he expects to be created in Wales under the NHS Reform Bill.

Don Touhig: The NHS Reform and Health Care Professions Bill provides a power for the National Assembly for Wales to establish bodies called local health boards. It will be for the Assembly, through subordinate legislation, to determine how many local health boards are to be set up. The Assembly's Minister for Health and Social Services has stated her intention to set up 22 local health boards following her consultation on the structural proposals for NHS Wales.

Pupils' Transport

Huw Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had with the Minister for Education and Lifelong Learning in the National Assembly for Wales regarding the transport of pupils from Llandogo to Monmouth.

Paul Murphy: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to him on 14 November 2001, Official Report, column 842.

Energy Review

Simon Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what contribution he has made to the Performance and Innovation Unit's Energy Review.

Paul Murphy: The Parliamentary Under- Secretary of State, Wales Office, is a member of the PIU Energy Review Advisory Group and has been engaged in the review since it began in June this year. The PIU held a seminar in Wales on 27 September to take the views of Assembly representatives, Assembly sponsored public bodies and the energy industry in Wales.

Departmental Name Change

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what the cost was of rebranding his Department following its name change after the General Election.

Paul Murphy: The name of my Department did not change after the 2001 General Election.

HEALTH

Antipsychotic Drugs

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what work his Department has undertaken to explain the trends in prescribing of (a) atypical and (b) traditional antipsychotic medication within the NHS; what the key findings are; and if he will set out the number of prescription items dispensed within the NHS in England for antipsychotic drugs in each of the last five years for each regional and health authority for the age groups (i) 0 to 15 years, (ii) 16 to 59 years and (iii) 60 years and over.

Jacqui Smith: No work has been done at this stage to explain the recent trend in prescribing of atypical and traditional antipsychotic medication although the figures are monitored.
	The National Institute for Clinical Excellence is undertaking an appraisal of the use of atypical antipsychotic drugs in schizophrenia. Guidance is expected to be issued this year. The number of prescription items dispensed in the community in England for antipsychotic drugs, 1999 and 2000 by health authority, have been placed in the Library. Similar information for earlier years is not available. Information about antipsychotic drugs dispensed in hospitals is not available.

Antipsychotic Drugs

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many prescriptions were dispensed in (a) 1999 and (b) 2000 for (i) atypical antipsychotic medicine, (ii) traditional antipsychotic medicine and (iii) all antipsychotic medicine, to hospital patients by each health authority in England for patients (A) up to 16, (B) 16 to 59, and (C) 60 years old and over.

Jacqui Smith: The information requested is not available centrally.

Private Hospitals (Complaints Procedures)

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on his discussions with private hospitals on complaints handling arrangements.

Hazel Blears: Independent health care providers will be required to have in place effective arrangements for handling complaints as part of the new regulatory system to be introduced from April 2002 under the Care Standards Act 2000. The regulations and standards that it is proposed to apply were issued for consultation in July 2001. Organisations representing private hospitals were among those consulted. The consultation comments are currently being considered.

Freedom of Information

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Health on what date his Department established a working group of officials to prepare his Department for the implementation of the Freedom of Information Act 2000; and on what dates this committee has met since it was set up.

Hazel Blears: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, my hon. Friend the Member for North Swindon (Mr. Wills) on 21 November 2001, Official Report, column 366W.
	The Department has established two committees to work on the implementation of Freedom of Information. The steering group was set up on 20 July and first met on 10 October. The working group was set up on 31 August 2001 and first met on 13 November 2001.

Radiation Hazards

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent communications his Department has had with the working party on research implications of health and safety standards of radiation protection measures of the Article 31 Group of Experts appointed by the European Commission.

Hazel Blears: Professor R. H. Clarke, who is Director of the National Radiological Protection Board, which advises the Department and others on radiation hazards, is a member of the Research Implications of Health and Safety Standard Working Party of Article 31. Officials in the Department receive information routinely on the programme of the working party and attend its seminars.

Medicines Control Agency

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the cost in 2001–02 of the Medicines Control Agency.

Hazel Blears: The budgeted costs of the Medicines Control Agency for the year 2001–02 are £39.6 million. The actual costs for the year will not be available until after March 2002. These costs are funded by fees from industry and others. The MCA does not receive any direct funding from the vote.

Departmental Expenditure

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the total expenditure is on items below £0.5 million in Annex A of the departmental report 2001.

Hazel Blears: Items in Annex A1 through to Annex A8 of the Departmental report that are below £0.5 million are denoted with the sign '#' in the report. These items, in total, relate to planned income, not expenditure, of £181,000 for 2001–02.

Departmental Environmental Strategy

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the cost is in 2001–02 of his Department's environmental strategy.

Hazel Blears: The Department supports the Government's strategy to put sustainable development—of which environmental matters are but one strand—at the heart of all its business. All activity related to environmental policy and operational matters is an integral part of departmental business and cannot be costed as a discrete item.

Directorate of Counter Fraud Services

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the cost in 2001–02 of the Directorate of Counter Fraud Services; and what level of fraud it has detected.

Hazel Blears: The Directorate of Counter Fraud Services (DCFS) is the central unit of the National Health Service Counter Fraud Service (NHS CFS). The DCFS budget for 2001–02 is £1,344,200.
	Since its inception, the NHS CFS has investigated 1,022 cases of alleged fraud, with an appropriate sanction being applied in every case where fraud has been proven. A 100 per cent. success rate has been achieved in 76 criminal prosecution cases. A further 131 civil and disciplinary sanction cases have been successfully progressed. A total of £11.9 million has been recovered and fraud through evasion of NHS prescription charges has been reduced by £48 million (41 per cent.) by the year 2000–01.

Prescription Fraud

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the level of prescription charge evasion for each of the last five years.

Hazel Blears: The National Health Service Counter Fraud Service has carried out two patient prescription charge evasion exercises, measuring (to an accuracy of plus or minus 0.6 per cent.) the levels of fraud by patients from samples taken in November 1998 and July 1999. The amount of money lost to the NHS is estimated at £117 million in 1998–99 and £69 million in 1999–2000, demonstrating a reduction in losses from evasion of £48 million (41 per cent.). The NHS CFS will continue to measure prescription fraud on a regular basis.
	There was no accurate measurement of prescription charge evasion prior to these exercises.

Prescription Fraud

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people were prosecuted for prescription fraud in each of the last five years.

Hazel Blears: Between the establishment of the Prescription Pricing Authority Compliance Unit on 1 April 1996 and June 2000 there was one criminal prosecution of a patient for fraudulently claiming prescription exemption. This case was handled by the police and occurred in 1999.
	The unit was not involved in the prosecution of any contractors.
	In June 2000 a new pharmaceutical fraud team was formed from the existing PPA Fraud Investigation Unit and integrated into the National Health Service Counter Fraud Service.
	This has so far brought four successful prosecution cases against contractors to the NHS for prescription fraud. Two of these were completed in 2000 and two in 2001.
	A further 17 cases are at various stages of the prosecution process, many of which are nearing fruition.

Prescription Fraud

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what anti-counterfeiting features have been introduced in prescription forms since 1997.

Hazel Blears: A number of features were introduced in 1998. Among these are an ultra violet light sensitive mark in the forms, as an anti-counterfeiting device and serial numbering, primarily to aid tracking of prescription forms. There are a number of other security features which, for obvious reasons, must remain confidential.

Bed Census

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if the 30 November bed census will include an audit of the number of beds in (a) mixed sex wards and (b) nightingale wards.

Hazel Blears: The bed census scheduled for Friday 30 November is part of preparations for winter and will compare the number of general and acute beds in the national health service with numbers at the same time last year. It will inform the winter plan which is due for publication in December. The census will not collect information on mixed sex wards or nightingale wards.

Welfare Foods

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the breakdown of the funding of welfare foods in 2001–02.

Jacqui Smith: Plans for this year envisage expenditure of £79 million on liquid milk, £37 million on dried baby milk and £0.03 million on vitamins (England). Administration costs are estimated at £8.5 million (Great Britain).

Health Inequalities

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if the £130 million allocated in 2001–02 to health authorities to adjust for health inequalities will be spent in 2001–02.

Jacqui Smith: The health inequalities adjustment of £130 million forms part of the total allocation to health authorities for 2001–02. It is for health authorities in partnership with primary care groups/trusts and other local stakeholders to determine how best to use their funds to meet national and local priorities for improving health, tackling health inequalities and modernising services.

Generic Drugs

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the savings to public funds in 2000–01 from price reductions in generic drugs and the effect of the maximum price scheme.

Hazel Blears: Following the introduction of the maximum price scheme in August 2000 the resulting price reductions on generic medicines produced estimated savings of £330 million to the national health service in the year to August 2001 compared to March 2000 prices.

Community Dental Services

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the cost to public funds of community dental services in (a) 2000–01, (b) 2001–02 and (c) 2002–03.

Hazel Blears: The information requested is not collected centrally.

Hospital-acquired Infections

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS patients from the Buckingham constituency contracted hospital-acquired infections in (a) 2000 and (b) 2001.

Hazel Blears: The information requested is not collected centrally.
	Comprehensive information about bacteraemias, including MRSA, has been collected from all acute trusts since 1 April 2001 and this will be published showing individual Trust data from 1 April 2002.

Cancelled Operations

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many operations on residents of the Buckingham constituency have been cancelled in each quarter in (a) 2000 and (b) 2001 as a result of hospital beds being occupied by delayed discharge patients who (i) were awaiting social services funding or assessment and (ii) who had fully funded social services packages arranged.

Jacqui Smith: Information is not collected centrally in the format requested.
	Statistics on the number of operations cancelled for non-medical reasons in each health authority are collected on a quarterly basis. Copies are available in the Library. The latest figures are for quarter 1 (April-June) of the 2001–02 financial year.

Tuberculosis (Buckingham)

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the availability of the BCG vaccine against tuberculosis in schools in the Buckingham constituency.

Jacqui Smith: Our policy is that all school children should be BCG immunised between ages 10–14 if they have not previously been immunised. Initially, in Buckinghamshire, this vaccine was offered to those students who were due to leave school in summer 2001. Where there has been sufficient vaccine and resources year 10 pupils were also offered testing and immunisation. Any current years 10 and 11 pupils who have not yet been offered the vaccine will be offered testing and immunisation during this academic year.
	Further local information can be obtained from the chairman of the Buckinghamshire health authority.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Anthony D Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he plans to publish the Chief Medical Officer's Working Group report on ME/CSF.

Jacqui Smith: The myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome working group members are currently considering amendments to their report. We hope to be in a position to publish the final report shortly.

Smoking-related Deaths

Ian Davidson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many deaths there have been since May 1997 from stroke; how many of these were smoking related; and what plans he has to introduce a bill on tobacco advertising and promotion.

Jacqui Smith: The information is not available in the form requested. Based on 1995 figures it has been estimated that each year 18,250 deaths are caused from stroke of which 7,300 deaths are smoking related.
	We are committed to bring back the Tobacco Advertising and Sponsorship Bill during the lifetime of the current Parliament.

Water Fluoridation

Stephen Hesford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to make drinking water fluoridation more easily available in those areas which express a desire to have such water treatment; and if he will make a statement.

Hazel Blears: We have commissioned the Medical Research Council to provide scientific advice regarding the health effects of water fluoridation and suggest priorities for the further research required. Their report is expected early next year and we will be reviewing our policy in the light of the report.

NHS Direct

Andy Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the impact of NHS Direct on the number of patients visiting general practitioners in Leicestershire.

Hazel Blears: Since NHS Direct east midlands was launched in February 1999 it has handled over 695,000 calls. This year alone it has handled over 340,000 calls. Where NHS Direct has acted as the first point of contact for patients seeking medical help out-of-hours, up to 50 per cent. of calls are handled without the need for onward referral to an out-of hours-doctor. By 2004 NHS Direct will be a one-stop gateway to out-of-hours health care passing on calls where necessary, to the appropriate general practitioner co-operative, including those in Leicestershire
	NHS Direct is improving access to health care by advising callers which part of the national health service to contact. NHS Direct nurses routinely advise two out of three callers to use a more appropriate setting of care than the caller said they would otherwise have used. One in three callers are advised how to look after themselves at home.

NHS Dentists

Andy Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many patients in (a) Leicestershire and (b) the Loughborough constituency are registered with an NHS dentist;
	(2)  how many dentists in (a) Leicestershire and (b) the Loughborough constituency provide NHS treatment.

Jacqui Smith: The number of patients registered with a dentist in the general dental service (GDS) in Leicestershire health authority at 30 September 2001 is shown in the table. The table also shows the number of GDS dentists who carry out the majority of their work in the area covered by Leicestershire health authority.
	Information on the number of patients registered and number of GDS dentists is not available by constituency.
	
		General dental service: number of registrations and dentists in Leicestershire health authority at 30 September 2001
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 Registrations:  
			 Adults 330,478 
			 Children 136,141 
			  
			 Total 466,619 
			 Total number of dentists(37) 282 
		
	
	(37) Dentists who do the majority of their work in Leicestershire health authority. Excludes dentists in Leicestershire health area who do most of their work in other health authorities.

Walk-in Centre, Loughborough

Andy Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the impact of the Loughborough walk-in centre; and if he will make a statement.

Jacqui Smith: The Department has put in place systems to gather monthly management information on the operation of national health service walk-in centres, which are three-year pilot initiatives. In addition, it has commissioned an 18-month national evaluation of walk-in centres, which is being carried out by the University of Bristol. This began on 1 June 2000 and is due to report at the end of this year.
	In Loughborough, general practitioner and primary care group (PCG) support was achieved on the basis that the impact of Loughborough NHS walk-in centre on local GP services would be assessed. To achieve a realistic and effective evaluation, a comparison of the "before" and "after" opening positions was considered essential.
	Therefore, data have been collected by Leicestershire health authority since January 2000 until the end of June 2001. This data are in the final stages of being analysed by the local health community and it is expected to be published in a report scheduled for presentation to the local PCG some time early in the new year.
	Early indications are that the walk-in centre has rapidly become an integral part of the local health community, which is greatly valued by local GPs, patients and other stakeholders.

Walk-in Centre, Loughborough

Andy Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what level of (a) capital and (b) revenue funding he has made available to Leicestershire and Rutland Healthcare NHS Trust for the Loughborough walk-in centre.

Jacqui Smith: The level of capital and revenue funding for Loughborough national health service walk-in centre since it was established and opened on 3 July 2000 is set out in the table.
	
		£ 
		
			   2000–01 2001–02 
		
		
			 Capital 61,000 — 
			 Revenue 363,000 471,000

Loughborough General Hospital

Andy Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made on the new Loughborough general hospital; and if he will make a statement.

Jacqui Smith: The full business case (FBC) for the development of Loughborough Hospital was approved by national health service Trent Regional Office in November 1999. Since that time, Leicestershire and Rutland Healthcare NHS Trust has continued to develop the design and costing of the scheme.
	Outstanding planning issues have been resolved and construction work started on this £9.4 million, publicly funded scheme earlier this year. The project is on time and within budget with an expected completion date on site of 22 November 2002. It is due to come into use at the end of December 2002.

Hospital Beds

Hugo Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many operations have been cancelled in Devon, in each quarter in (a) 2000 and (b) 2001, as a result of hospital beds being occupied by (i) delayed discharge patients who were awaiting social services funding or assessment and (ii) delayed discharge patients who had fully funded social services packages arranged;
	(2)  how many hospital beds were unavailable in Devon to incoming patients as a result of their occupation by (a) delayed discharge patients who were awaiting social services funding and (b) delayed discharge patients who had fully funded social services packages arranged in each quarter in (i) 2000 and (ii) 2001.

Hazel Blears: Information is not collected centrally in the requested format. The available information on delayed discharges in north and east Devon health authority has been placed in the Library.

MMR Inoculations

Hugo Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of children aged (a) one to two, (b) two to three and (c) three to four years have been given MMR inoculations in Devon in the last five years.

Hazel Blears: The information available about children immunised against measles, mumps and rubella is contained in the Statistical Bulletin "NHS Immunisation Statistics, England: 2000–01". A copy of the bulletin is in the Library and can also be found on the Department of Health website www.doh.gov.uk/public/sb0121.htm.

Nursing and Residential Care Beds

Hugo Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many nursing and residential care (a) homes and (b) beds have closed in Devon in each year since 1997.

Hazel Blears: The number of residential and nursing care establishment closures in 1999 and 2000, together with the number of new registrations, are shown in the table. Information is not available centrally on the number of beds associated with closures or new registrations.
	
		Number of care home establishment closures and new home registrations in Devon
		
			   Year ending 31 March  
			  1999 2000 
		
		
			 Number of establishment closures   
			 Residential(38) 49 99 
			 Nursing(39) 5 18 
			
			 Number of new registrations   
			 Residential(38) 58 104 
			 Nursing(39) 6 9 
		
	
	(38) Information for 1999 is presented for Devon county council only as information for Plymouth and Torbay unitary authorities is not available. Information for 2000 is presented for Devon county council and Plymouth and Torbay unitary authorities. Therefore the figures are not strictly comparable.
	(39) Information presented for south and west Devon and north and east Devon health authorities.
	Source:
	Registration and Inspection Survey

Trolley Deaths

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people have died while on trolleys in the Leicestershire health authority while awaiting admission in the last 12 months for which figures are available.

Jacqui Smith: There are no recorded instances of patients dying on trolleys in the Leicestershire health authority area while awaiting admission in accident and emergency, with the exception of Brenda Jones, who died in Leicester Royal infirmary on 20 November.
	After being assessed and waiting on a trolley for several hours, Mrs. Jones was being seen by a doctor in Leicester Royal infirmary accident and emergency department when she collapsed. She was taken to a resuscitation room, where sadly she died. A post mortem has revealed that she died of a pulmonary embolus. The trust's initial investigations suggest this could not have been foreseen from her presenting condition. Nevertheless, a full investigation is being carried out and University Hospitals of Leicester NHS trust has already revisited and strengthened its procedures and has apologised to Mrs. Jones' husband.

Mrs. Brenda Jones

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the death of Mrs. Brenda Jones.

Jacqui Smith: The University Hospitals of Leicester national health service trust is carrying out an urgent investigation into the circumstances surrounding Mrs. Jones' death in the accident and emergency department at Leicester Royal infirmary (LRI) after a considerable time spent waiting on a trolley. Initial investigations indicate that Mrs. Jones' treatment in accident and emergency was appropriate to her presenting condition. A post mortem revealed that she died of a pulmonary embolus and it is believed that this could not have been foreseen. Nevertheless, procedures have been revisited and strengthened and the trust has apologised to her husband.
	Following visits to Leicester Royal infirmary by the National Patients Access Team and the Winter and Emergency Services Team (WEST), a remedial action plan has been put in place, to address the problems of long waiting in accident and emergency at the LRI. The regional office continues to work closely with the trust and WEST to help Leicester to meet the new national target, which states that by the end of March 2002 no one should have to wait more than four hours in accident and emergency before admission.
	We are determined to tackle the problem of long trolley waits in some parts of the country. The University Hospitals of Leicester NHS trust has received £3.7 million to modernise its accident and emergency department, as part of our £115 million accident and emergency modernisation programme. A further £366,011 was announced last week for extra emergency care nurses at the trust between now and 2003.

University Hospitals of Leicester Trust

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the annual budget of the University Hospitals of Leicester trust for the latest financial year.

Jacqui Smith: The latest published figures for the University Hospitals of Leicester national health service trust are for the financial year 2000–01. The total income (or turnover) for this period was £346.83 million.
	Source:
	Summarisation schedules

University Hospitals of Leicester Trust

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many consultants there are in the University Hospitals of Leicester.

Jacqui Smith: The number of hospital, public health medicine and community health services medical and dental consultants within the University Hospitals of Leicester national health service trust is 360.
	Source:
	Department of Health medical and dental workforce census, as at 30 September 2000

Strokes

Graham Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what steps he is taking to ensure that the stroke standard published within the National Service Framework for Older People is implemented across different health and social care settings;
	(2)  what action he plans to take to address the variation in the death rate from stroke in hospitals in England.

Jacqui Smith: The stroke standard in the National Service Framework for Older People (NSF) provides a detailed service model and specific milestones for the local development of specialised stroke services throughout England. The achievement of milestones will be monitored and will ensure improvements in access to, and delivery of stroke care and as a consequence help to reduce variation in death rate across England. The NSF milestones are:
	By April 2002 every general hospital which cares for people with stroke will have plans to introduce a specialised stroke service as described in the stroke service model from 2004.
	By April 2003 every hospital which cares for older people with stroke will have established clinical audit systems to ensure delivery of the Royal College of Physicians clinical guidelines for stroke care.
	By April 2004 primary care groups/trusts will have ensured that:
	every general practice, using protocols agreed with local specialist services, can identify and treat patients identified as being at risk of a stroke because of high blood pressure, atrial fibrillation or other risk factors
	every general practice is using a protocol agreed with local specialist services for the rapid referral and management of those with transient ischaemic attack
	every general practice can identify people who have had a stroke and are treating them according to protocols agreed with local specialist services
	every general practice has established clinical audit systems for stroke.
	By April 2004, 100 per cent. of all general hospitals which care for people with stroke to have a specialised stroke service as described in the stroke service model.

Nursing Cadet Scheme

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the Gateshead Health NHS Trust's nursing cadet scheme; and what plans there are to encourage other NHS trusts to practice similar recruitment techniques.

Jacqui Smith: The Gateshead Health national health service trust nurse cadet scheme, established in partnership by the trust and the University of Northumbria, creates a seamless career pathway for students into nurse training. The two year scheme commenced on 24 September 2001 with 12 participants. Cadets undertake both practice placements, supported by a mentor, and theoretical learning. On completion of their level 3 NVQ in Care they will step immediately into nurse training at the university.
	In September 1999 there were only 30 cadet schemes in England. By March 2001 this had more than doubled to in excess of 60 schemes. Following a national seminar on cadet schemes earlier this year, the Department undertook a varied work programme to ensure the continued expansion of cadet schemes throughout England.

Ministerial Visits (North-East)

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many times since November 2000 Ministers from his Department have visited (a) the Teesside area and (b) Middlesbrough, South and Cleveland, East constituency to meet with locally based businesses.

Jacqui Smith: Visits to the area have been made as follows:
	
		
			 Date Minister Place Purpose 
		
		
			 3 November 2000 Secretary of State New School of Health building, University of Teesside, Middlesbrough Official opening of the new School of Health 
			 
			 30 March 2001 Secretary of State University of Durham, Stockton campus, Stockton, Teesside Extra medical school places announcement 
			 
			 6 September 2001 Minister of State (Jacqui Smith) Bankfields Court, Normanby, Middlesbrough Community Care conference at Teesside University followed by visit to Tees and North East Yorkshire Trust 
		
	
	None of these have been set up with the intention of meeting locally based businesses.

Protection of Children Act

Debra Shipley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many social services departments have not complied fully with the Protection of Children Act 1999;
	(2)  what monitoring of social service departments he has undertaken to ensure that the vetting procedures laid out in the Protection of Children Act 1999 are undertaken;
	(3)  what measures he has taken to ensure that the vetting measures contained within the Protection of Children Act 1999 are fully complied with.

Jacqui Smith: All children's services are regularly inspected by the Department's social services inspectorate. These inspections include scrutiny of the provisions for children's safeguards to ensure that the requirements of the Children Act and subsequent legislation and regulations are being implemented. This scrutiny therefore covers recruitment policies and practices and I can confirm that of the 60 councils whose children services have been inspected since August 1999, all have developed policies and procedures to check the suitability of staff working with children which are consistent with the requirements of current legislation and guidance. All councils will have been covered by 2004.

Protection of Children Act

Debra Shipley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many prosecutions have been brought under the Protection of Children Act 1999 of (a) employers who fail to vet applicants for child care jobs and (b) individuals who have been banned from working with children applying to do so.

Jacqui Smith: The Protection of Children Act 1999 makes no provisions for prosecutions in this way. The type of offences referred to are to be found in Section 35 of the Criminal Justice and Court Services Act 2000. Information is not yet available centrally on the number of convictions relating to offences under this section of the Act.

Victoria Climbié

Debra Shipley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the Victoria Climbié Inquiry will publish its findings.

Jacqui Smith: My right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Health and the Home Department will publish the findings of the Victoria Climbié Inquiry as soon as possible after receiving the report from Lord Laming, who is chairing the Inquiry. My right hon. Friends are expecting to receive the inquiry report next year.

Winter Pressures

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what (a) method and (b) criteria he will use to apportion and spend the additional £300 million for social services departments to assist in tackling winter pressures.

Jacqui Smith: The grant determination under section 93 of the Local Government Act 2000 of the Building Care Capacity Grant for 2001–02 was published in November and placed on the Department's website www.doh.gov.uk/ jointunit/delayeddischarge. This sets out the allocations for all councils of the £100 million to be spent this financial year. Fifty five councils have been targeted for extra help on the basis of their high rates of delayed discharge or on the basis of a risk assessment using information drawn from our performance monitoring arrangements. No decision has yet been taken about the allocation of £200 million to be made available for 2002–03.

Child Protection (Unborn Children)

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many unborn children were (a) placed on the child protection register and (b) taken off the child protection register in the last five years for which figures are available; and if he will list the reasons given for (i) placing an unborn child on the child protection register and (ii) removing an unborn child from the child protection register.

Jacqui Smith: The number of unborn children who were placed on, and removed from, child protection registers during the years ending 31 March 1997 to 2001 are given in the table.
	
		Registrations to and de-registrations from child protection registers, of unborn children, during the years ending 31 March 1997–01 and number of unborn children on the registers at 31 March each year -- Englandnumbers of unborn children(40)
		
			 Year ending 31 March On the register at 31 March Registrations during the year De-registrations during the year 
		
		
			 1997 300 600 60 
			 1998 200 600 100 
			 1999 300 800 60 
			 2000 200 900 30 
			 2001 200 1,000 70 
		
	
	(40) Figures are rounded to the nearest 100, figures less than 100 are rounded to the nearest 10
	Where inquiries under Section 47 of the Children Act 1989 give rise to concern that an unborn child may be at future risk of significant harm, the social services department may need to convene an initial child protection conference prior to the child's birth. Such a conference will have the same status, and should proceed in the same way, as other initial child protection conferences, including decisions about registration on the child protection register. The involvement of midwifery services is vital in such cases.
	An unborn child will be registered on the child protection register if a decision is taken at the initial child protection conference that the unborn child is at continuing risk of significant harm. The act of registration itself confers no protection on a child, and should always be accompanied by a child protection plan.
	An unborn child will be de-registered from the child protection register if the child dies or it is judged that the child is no longer at continuing risk of significant harm requiring safeguarding by means of a child protection plan. De-registration will also take place if the child's family have moved permanently to another local authority area. In this case, the receiving local authority should convene a child protection conference within 15 working days of being notified of the move, only after which event may de-registration take place in respect of the original local authority's child protection register.

Strategic Health Authorities

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many strategic health authorities will be created in England under the powers in the NHS Reform and Health Care Professions Bill.

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many strategic health authorities he expects to create under the NHS reform Bill.

John Hutton: The consultation exercises on the proposed boundaries for 28 new, larger and more strategic, health authorities ended on 30 November 2001. The Department is still considering the final responses to the consultation exercises but expects to be in a position soon to announce the number and configuration of the new health authorities, to be established from 1 April 2002. Subject to passage of the National Health Service Reform and Health Care Professions Bill, the new health authorities should become strategic health authorities by October 2002.

Diabetes

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  if the Gluco Watch Biographer will be available on prescription to diabetes sufferers in the NHS;
	(2)  if alto sensors will be made available to diabetes sufferers, on prescription, under the NHS;
	(3)  what assessment he has made of the Gluco Watch Biographer, for regular blood checking in diabetes sufferers; and what plans he has to use this device in the NHS.

Jacqui Smith: In order to be prescribed by general practitioners on the national health service, appliances must be listed in Part IX of the Drug Tariff. Such listings are made only in response to, and after consideration of, applications from the manufacturers. No application has been made by the manufacturer of the Gluco Watch Biographer or its accessories. We would expect the applicant to provide any evidence needed to support the application.

SOLICITOR-GENERAL

Graham Browne

Jim Cousins: To ask the Solicitor-General what the prosecution costs were in the case against Graham Browne; what the result of the prosecution was; and what further costs arose from the result of the prosecution.

Harriet Harman: Graham Browne stood trial at the central criminal court between 29 October 2001 and 7 November 2001 on a charge of blackmail. It was alleged by the Crown that he, a former employee of Barclays bank and the head of an encryption team, wrote to them under an assumed name, informing them that their security was at risk and demanding that 14 named individuals (of whom he was one) should be employed at a cost of £25 million to ensure that security was not breached. Key security codes were included in the correspondence. The jury returned a majority verdict of not guilty.
	The time and overhead costs of the lawyer caseworker and administrative staff engaged in the case were about £10,000. A total of £1,942.65 has been paid in witness expenses. The actual costs to the Crown Prosecution Service in bringing the prosecution have not yet been finally determined. These costs do not include the fees of prosecution counsel which are currently being negotiated.

TRANSPORT, LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND THE REGIONS

Rail Track Capacity

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what timetable he has for (a) work on upgrades to rail track capacity around (i) Birmingham, (ii) Manchester and (iii) Coventry, (b) construction of the (1) Thameslink 2000 rail project, (2) west coast main line rail project, (3) upgrade to the London to Stansted train route, (4) upgrade to the north Transpennine train route, (5) Brighton train line upgrade, (6) east coast main line, (7) Sunderland Metro and (8) rail flyover at Shortlands in Kent, (c) train station upgrades to comply with the Disability Discrimination Act 1995, (d) redevelopment of Gatwick train station and (e) implementation of (x) the programme of platform extensions and stations into London Waterloo and (y) the Train Protection Warning System; and which targets have been put back in the past month.

John Spellar: The Strategic Rail Authority will publish shortly their Strategic Plan, setting out their priorities for investment in rail projects to deliver the Government's 10 Year Transport Plan core targets of 50 per cent. passenger growth, 80 per cent. freight growth and a reduction in London overcrowding to SRA standards, by 2010. The SRA continues to base its investment plans on the delivery of these targets. There has been no change to this approach.

London Underground

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what the latest available figure is on capacity on the London Underground, broken down by (a) movement of passengers per 15 minutes at peak times for each line, (b) the amount of spare capacity as expressed in potential passenger movement per 15 minutes at peak times and (c) the use of capacity at peak times, expressed as a percentage for each line.

John Spellar: This is an operational matter for London Underground (LU), but they advise that the measures requested do not form part of their regular monitoring and management reporting process. I understand that the most recent available survey on passenger numbers at peak times was completed by London Underground during 2000 and the resulting information on this and on measures of capacity was given by the then Under-Secretary, my hon. Friend the Member for Streatham (Keith Hill), in answer to the hon. Member for Carshalton and Wallington (Tom Brake) on 22 March 2001, Official Report, column 283W. Regrettably, some of the information given in answer to that earlier PQ was inaccurate and the table provides corrected information.
	For each line, the table provides a snapshot of the busiest quarter-hour period on the busiest section. The table shows in columns D and E the figures which London Underground record as the "theoretical design capacity" of trains, as determined by the manufacturer and set out in an earlier answer of 2 February 2001, Official Report, column 315W; and in columns F and G the actual numbers of people they recorded as using those lines at the busiest period. I regret that the earlier figures were misleading: the corrected figures show that the Underground is not as crowded as the previous answer appeared to show.
	However, it should be noted that in practice some trains may have a higher and some a lower crowding. This could be caused by either any unevenness in the time between consecutive trains or in the uneven distribution of customers along platforms.
	
		
			 A B C D E F G 
			 Design capacity Actual numbers of people  
			 Line Busiest section Time Hour capacity (41)/ 4  hour capacity Hour demand (41)/ 4  hour demand 
		
		
			 Bakerloo Charing Cross to Piccadilly Circus 08:45–09:00 27,954 6,989 13,260 3,315 
			 Central Bethnal Green to Liverpool Street 08:45–09:00 45,582 11,395 22,328 5,582 
			 Victoria Victoria to Green Park 08:45–09:00 42,363 10,591 22,016 5,504 
			 Waterloo & City Waterloo to Bank 07:45–08:00 14,818 3,704 6,800 1,700 
			 Jubilee St John's Wood to Baker Street 08:45–09:00 22,820 5,705 13,108 3,277 
			 Northern Clapham North to Stockwell 08:45–09:00 35,011 8,753 17,096 4,274 
			 Piccadilly Earl's Court to Gloucester Road 08:30–08:45 33,216 8,304 17,452 4,363 
			 Circle Sloane Square to Victoria 17:30–17:45 8,958 2,240 3,948 987 
			 H&C Liverpool Street to Moorgate 08:30–08:45 8,958 2,240 5,276 1,319 
			 Metropolitan Finchley Road to Baker Street 08:30–08:45 35,964 8,991 11,616 2,904 
			 District Victoria to St James's Park 08:30–08:45 30,380 7,595 16,092 4,023 
			 East London Line Surrey Quays to Canada Water 08:15–08:30 6,815 1,704 3,908 977

London Underground

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions who will bear the financial risk for unforeseen circumstances in improving the London Underground under PPP.

David Jamieson: The Government's modernisation plans for the London Underground follow the principle that risk should be allocated to whoever is best able to manage it. The aim is not to transfer risk for its own sake, as this would lead to a decline in value for money, but rather to optimise the transfer of risk. The private sector infrastructure companies will be liable for all cost overruns that result from their acting in an uneconomic or inefficient manner. However, the financial risks associated with 'force majeure' events are retained by London Underground, as long as they are not caused by and are beyond the control of the infrastructure companies.

London Underground

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make a statement on the changes in London Underground's costs since 1997.

David Jamieson: London Underground's costs have primarily increased because of work to maintain and improve performance and reliability against a background of increased demand and past underinvestment.
	The increase in London Underground's operating costs also, however, reflects its adoption in 1999 of the mandatory Financial Reporting Standard (FRS) 15, which set out revised principles of accounting for tangible fixed assets. The impact of the adoption of FRS15 on London Underground's accounts for 1999–2000 was set out in the reply given by the then Under-Secretary, my hon. Friend the Member for Streatham (Keith Hill), to my hon. Friend the Member for Hammersmith and Fulham (Mr. Coleman) on 23 January 2001, Official Report, column 525W. The full impact on its accounts was also confirmed in London Transport's Annual Report 2000–01, published in July of this year.

London Underground

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many delays of 15 minutes or more of trains on the London Underground were caused by problems with (a) track, (b) signals and (c) rolling stock for (i) 1994–95, (ii) 1995–96, (iii) 1996–97, (iv) 1997–98 and (v) 1999–2000.

David Jamieson: This is an operational matter for London Underground who inform me that this information is not held in the form requested for full years before 1999–2000, and could only be provided at disproportionate cost. The table shows the requested information as measured by London Underground during 1999–2000.
	
		Train delays of 15 minutes or more in 1999–2000
		
			 Cause Total 
		
		
			 (a) Track 142 
			 (b) Signals 713 
			 (c) Rolling Stock 608

London Underground

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what changes there were in the rules during the bidding for the public-private partnership for the London Underground.

David Jamieson: The rules under which these procurements are conducted are determined by European law and have not changed during the procurements.

Channel Tunnel Rail Link

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what assessment he has made of the urban regeneration implications (a) around St. Pancras Station, (b) for London and (c) for the United Kingdom as a whole, of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link.

David Jamieson: My Department assessed the urban regeneration implications of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link in 1998 to inform the appraisal of the value for money of the restructured financing deal with London and Continental Railways announced in June 1998. The assessment considered the impact of the link on commercial property development, house building and job creation in the main areas affected by the link, that is, around St. Pancras, Stratford, and Ebbsfleet stations and the Royal Docks. Impacts in the rest of the United Kingdom were not assessed. The assessment of the gross direct regeneration implications associated with the link is shown. The cost of creating a similar number of additional jobs through other regeneration programmes was estimated to be £1,000 million (at 1998 prices).
	
		
			   St. Pancras/ King's Cross Stratford Ebbsfleet Royal Docks Total 
		
		
			 Floorspace (sq ft) 4,682,190 5,960,140 12,168,780 2,798,190 25,609,300 
			 Number of dwellings with CTRL 3,285 1,200 16,260 0 20,745 
			 Jobs created:  
			 With CTRL 14,078 21,587 36,210 6,861 78,736 
			 Without CTRL 10,764 6,457 5,627 5,382 28,230 
			 Additional Jobs 3,314 15,130 30,583 1,479 50,506 
		
	
	The estimated impact of the link on development values was around £650 million (net present value at 1997–98 prices). The table shows the results of the assessment by area.
	
		£ million NPV 
		
			   Without CTRL With CTRL Uplift due to CTRL 
		
		
			 St. Pancras/King's Cross 175 385 210 
			 Stratford 50 255 205 
			 Ebbsfleet 35 255 220 
			 Royal Docks 10 20 10 
			  
			 Total all areas 270 915 645

Passenger Vehicle Safety

Huw Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what powers a local authority has to terminate a contract with a bus operator for transporting pupils from home to school if the service is deemed to be unsafe.

Sally Keeble: The Government attach the greatest importance to the safety of all bus passengers, including children, and try to ensure that the highest possible safety standards are maintained. There are various controls on bus operators aimed at ensuring that all their operations are safe. The powers to terminate a contract if a service is found to be unsafe will be determined by the terms and conditions contained in the contract with the bus operator.

Road Accidents (Somerset)

David Heath: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what plans he has to reduce road traffic accidents in Somerset.

David Jamieson: Local transport authorities have a statutory duty to produce a local transport plan (LTP). They are required to set out five-year integrated transport plans which cover all forms of transport and include a set of locally devised aims and objectives, a long-term strategy to meet them, a costed implementation programme and a set of targets and performance indicators to measure progress. They also provide annual progress reports. The first full LTPs were produced in July 2000 and cover the period from April 2001 to March 2006. Capital resources for local transport improvements are provided through the annual local transport capital settlement; we will announce shortly the allocations for 2002–03 which will include provision for road safety improvements.
	Road safety is an important component of the local transport plan (LTP) process and we will expect to see all transport authorities to be making progress in this area.
	Somerset's first LTP annual progress report reports progress in several inter-related strategies, eg. a 14 per cent. reduction in killed and serious injury (KSI) accidents on the county's roads in 2000 over 1999 and a 50 per cent. reduction (50) in child KSI accidents over the same period. The county has introduced 90 local safety schemes on its roads in the last five years, such as speed management and improving facilities for pedestrians and cyclists, and in 2000–01 nine primary, six middle/secondary schools and one FE college have committed to the Safe Routes to School initiative.

Millennium Dome

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions 
	(1)  what calculation he has made of the amount of lost interest per day arising from the lack of proceeds from the sale of the Dome site;
	(2)  if it is his policy to obtain the best possible value from the north Greenwich peninsular site; if he will publish the conditions of sale of the Dome site; and what discussions he is engaged in with potential bidders for the (a) site and (b) structure of the Dome.

Sally Keeble: The process being followed is driven by the need to secure long-term regeneration of the peninsula and the wider area.
	Evaluation of proposals for the future use of the Dome and any associated land includes a thorough assessment of value for money. Any sale of the Dome will also be required to provide a worthwhile and sustainable future for the Dome; and we will want to be assured that any proposal can be successfully delivered.
	On-going market testing is exploring all avenues, and on the basis of professional advice we are in discussion with a small number of serious contenders. To reveal details of the discussions would not be conducive to a successful conclusion and would be against the public interest.

Renewco

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 26 November 2001, Official Report, column 607W, on Renewco, for what reason this information is commercially sensitive.

David Jamieson: The information is covered by the exemption from disclosure under the code of Practice on Access to government Information because it relates to confidential communications between the Department and the Strategic Rail Authority about matters including commercially sensitive issues relating to the financial position of Railtrack.

White Papers

Malcolm Moss: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make a statement on the date of publication of the (a) Regions White Paper and (b) the Local Government White Paper.

Alan Whitehead: As the Deputy Prime Minister announced to Parliament on 2 July, the Government's White Paper on regional governance in England will be published when it is ready.
	The local government White Paper will be published shortly.

Railtrack

John Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions 
	(1)  how many staff the administrator of Railtrack employs;
	(2)  what are the day rates of the administrator of Railtrack; and what different levels of staff has it been using.

John Spellar: This is a matter for the administrator who was appointed by the High Court.

Railtrack

John Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many speed restrictions are in force on the Railtrack network.

John Spellar: I understand from Railtrack that as at 26 November there were 659 temporary speed restrictions in force.

West Coast Main Line

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will publish the terms of the Hartwell agreement in relation to the west coast main line project; whether members of his Department were involved in that agreement; and what financial guarantees his Department gave to the companies involved with that agreement.

David Jamieson: The Hartwell agreement was the result of negotiations between Railtrack and Virgin Trains. Neither the Government nor the Strategic Rail Authority were involved in the negotiations or party to them.

West Coast Main Line

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions when Part 1 of the passenger upgrade agreement for the west coast main line was to be completed; and what plans the Government have for completing Part 2; what stage the Government's discussions with the SRA have reached regarding engineering access from the Virgin cross country franchise to the west coast main line; and whether completion of Part 2 is dependent on price.

David Jamieson: Finalisation of phase 1 is likely to be in May 2003. Options for completing phase 2 are still under discussion with the Strategic Rail Authority, Railtrack, Virgin, other users and stakeholders. Value for money is one of the considerations in these discussions.

NATS

Ian Davidson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what recent assessment he has made of the financial health of the consortium which will take over the National Air Traffic Services; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: The role of the Government's strategic partner in the public private partnership for National Air Traffic Services was awarded to the Airline Group, a consortium of seven airlines, on 26 July 2001. We maintain regular contact with the Airline Group over a range of issues including their financial situation.

Standing Committee on Regional Affairs

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will table a motion to call for a sitting of the Standing Committee on Regional Affairs.

Alan Whitehead: A motion was tabled on the 3 December calling for the Committee to meet on 18 December to discuss 'Regional Governance in England'.

Urban Regeneration

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what percentage of funding for urban regeneration schemes has been spent buying out right-to-buy occupiers in the past three years.

Sally Keeble: The information is not available centrally and can be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Property Purchases

Nigel Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make it his policy that acceptance of an offer to purchase a property be a binding legal contract.

Sally Keeble: There is nothing to prevent buyers and sellers agreeing to building contracts when offers are accepted, but we do not believe it would be right to require this by law. Our 1998 consultation exercise showed widespread support for this stance.
	As set out in our manifesto, we are committed to making it easier for people buying and selling homes through a new seller's pack. The seller's pack will provide, at the very start of the process, most of the documents and information needed to enable the transaction to proceed speedily and successfully. It will provide prospective buyers with most of the information they need to make an informed offer. The disclosure of this information at the outset will greatly improve transparency and reduce the risk of the transaction failing or the parties having to renegotiate terms due to problems being revealed later on. The necessary legislation will be introduced as soon as parliamentary time allows.

Property Purchases

Nigel Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make a statement on his policy towards gazumping and gazundering in house purchases.

Sally Keeble: We believe the answer to the problems caused by gazumping and gazundering lie in increasing transparency and speeding up the home buying and selling process. That is what our proposals for seller's packs will achieve. Seller's packs will bring about earlier certainty and reduce the period of time during which gazumping and gazundering can occur. The necessary legislation for this will be introduced as soon as parliamentary time allows.

Edinburgh Waverley Station

Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions 
	(1)  if he has been advised of a request for a financial subsidy towards the cost of a site survey of Edinburgh Waverley Station in connection with its proposed redevelopment;
	(2)  what recent discussions he has had with the Strategic Rail Authority regarding funding for the redevelopment of Edinburgh Waverley Station.

David Jamieson: We are not aware of any request for a financial subsidy towards the redevelopment work at Edinburgh Waverley station. This is a major redevelopment scheme, including retail development and the Strategic Rail Authority are considering a number of proposals put forward by Railtrack.

Departmental Expenditure Limit

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what proportion of the increase in the departmental expenditure limit from 2001–02 to 2002–03 will be accounted for by wage costs.

Alan Whitehead: The Department's main programmes departmental expenditure limit (DEL) is planned to increase by £2.2 billion between 2001–02 and 2002–03. Based upon expenditure forecasts for 2001–02 and 2002–03, we estimate the increase in departmental pay costs to be £15.5 million which is equivalent to 0.7 per cent. of this increase.

Parking Taxes

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will list the local authorities which have expressed an interest to his Department in participating in (a) workplace parking taxes pilot schemes and (b) congestion tax pilot schemes.

Stephen Byers: Outside London, road user charging schemes are being developed by Durham county council, Derbyshire county council and Bristol city council. Nottingham city council is developing a workplace parking levy scheme.
	Other authorities which have indicated in their local transport plans that road user charging or a workplace parking levy might play a part in local congestion management are:
	Bath and North East Somerset council
	Cambridgeshire county council
	Cheshire county council
	Cumbria county council
	Derby city council
	Hampshire county council
	Isle of Wight council
	Leeds city council
	Leicester city council
	Greater Manchester (10 authorities)
	Milton Keynes council
	Reading council
	South Gloucestershire council
	Southampton city council
	Staffordshire county council
	Surrey county council
	Warwickshire county council
	West Midlands (excluding Coventry, Solihull and Walsall)
	City of York council.

Statutory Off Road Notification Scheme

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what measures he has in place for determining the impact of the Statutory Off Road Notification Scheme.

David Jamieson: The Statutory Off Road Notification (SORN) scheme was one of a number of measures introduced to enhance the accuracy of the vehicle register maintained by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA). It is designed to keep DVLA's unlicensed vehicle keeper records up to date. Since introduction over 2.5 million SORN declarations have been made recovering revenue of £6 million. The number of SORN declarations received is constantly monitored and DVLA is carrying out an in depth review of the accuracy of the vehicle register.
	SORN prevents unlicensed vehicles from "dropping off" the vehicle register and measuring vehicle excise duty (VED) evasion is a useful way to assess impact. At the last full survey in 1999, evasion rates showed a fall from 4.1 per cent. to 3.9 per cent., a saving of £17 million a year.

Statutory Off Road Notification Scheme

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what has been the cost of enforcing the Statutory Off Road Notification scheme since inception.

David Jamieson: The cost of enforcing the Statutory Off Road Notification scheme is approximately £1 million a year. Since enforcement commenced in April 2000, enforcement action has raised over £6 million in fines and penalties.

Road Accidents (Fire Service Costs)

Linda Perham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will give fire services powers to claim from car insurers the cost of road accident rescue work.

Alan Whitehead: In common with other local authority services, the fire service is funded primarily through the revenue support grant system. Local authorities secure most of their funding from Government grants, supplemented by council tax. Levies on the insurance industry contribute to the central Government funds from which revenue support grant is paid.
	The Government raised the general question of charging policies for discretionary services provided by local authorities in the Green Paper "Modernising Local Government Finance" which was published in September 2000. Our conclusions, in the light of the consultation responses, will be set out in the Local Government White Paper which is due to be published shortly.

Single Sky Agreement

Julie Kirkbride: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make a statement on the safety of people from Bromsgrove travelling to Gibraltar following the failure of Gibraltar to be included in the European single skies agreement.

David Jamieson: The people of Bromsgrove can be assured that when travelling to Gibraltar their safety will not be impaired by the proposed treatment of Gibraltar under the European single sky proposals.

Port Health Budget

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what are the areas of expenditure contained in the port health budget for each of the last three years for which figures are available.

Nick Raynsford: English local authorities have reported the following expenditure on port health.
	
		Port health expenditure 1995–96 to 1997–98 -- £000
		
			  1995–96 1996–97 1997–98 
		
		
			 Expenditure
			 Employees 2,443 2,671 2,794 
			 Running expenses 3,645 3,612 3,839 
			 Joint arrangements 61 0 0 
			  
			 Total expenditure 6,149 6,283 6,633 
			 
			 Income
			 Sales 41 5 0 
			 Fees and charges 1,393 1,675 2,386 
			 Other income 289 204 137 
			 Joint arrangements 91 173 70 
			  
			 Total income 1,813 2,057 2,593 
			 Net current expenditure 4,335 4,226 4,040 
		
	
	No further expenditure details are available.

Audit Commission Inspections

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what directions he has given to the Audit Commission on inspections into the running of services by (a) Walsall MBC, (b) Hillingdon LBC, (c) Derby city council, (d) Malvern Hills DC and (e) Waltham Forest LBC.

Stephen Byers: holding answer 4 December 2001
	I have given the Audit Commission no directions on inspections into the running of services by these authorities.

Special Advisers

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 25 October 2001, Official Report, column 394W, on records kept under Clause 9 of the Code of Conduct for Special Advisers, if he will list the internal purposes to which he referred.

Stephen Byers: holding answer 4 December 2001
	These are set out in the clause to which the hon. Member refers.

Rural Bus Challenge

Colin Breed: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, pursuant to the answer of 28 November 2001, Official Report, column 943W, how much of the money spent on Rural Bus Challenge projects was spent in 2001–02; and where it was spent.

Sally Keeble: Local authorities have to date received the following amounts in Rural Bus Challenge grant in 2001–02. We expect challenge payments in the year as a whole to total about £20 million.
	
		£ 
		
			 Local authority Payment to date 
		
		
			 Bedfordshire 116,791 
			 Cumbria 343,500 
			 Devon 271,000 
			 Dorset 201,092 
			 East Riding 166,863 
			 East Sussex 466,888 
			 Essex 571,805 
			 Hampshire 521,260 
			 Herefordshire 41,518 
			 Hertfordshire 87,692 
			 Kent 193,000 
			 Lancashire 396,914 
			 Leicestershire 279,540 
			 Milton Keynes 101,965 
			 Norfolk 75,055 
			 North Lincolnshire 114,313 
			 North Yorkshire 509,000 
			 Northamptonshire 83,050 
			 Northumberland 372,600 
			 Nottinghamshire 185,764 
			 Plymouth 141,400 
			 Redcar and Cleveland 20,000 
			 Shropshire 238,176 
			 South Yorkshire 318,500 
			 Staffordshire 97,548 
			 Stockton-on-Tees 12,000 
			 Suffolk 404,025 
			 Thurrock 97,000 
			 Torbay 111,340 
			 Tyne and Wear 630,050 
			 Warwickshire 135,405 
			 West Yorkshire 208,928 
			 Wiltshire 458,080 
			 Worcestershire 757,645 
			  
			 Total 8,729,707

Building Regulations (Domestic Boilers)

David Chaytor: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what estimate he has made of the reduction in anticipated carbon savings in 2010 resulting from the delay in implementation for a further five months of the requirements set out in part L of the Building Regulations for improvements to domestic central heating boilers.

Nick Raynsford: Deferring implementation of the replacement boiler efficiency standards by five months will cause a slight reduction in the savings expected to accrue. My Department estimates that the cumulative effect of this reduction will be no more than 0.03 Mtonnes per year in 2010, and could be less. The outturn will be dependent on how market factors influence the take-up of the better heating control requirements that were introduced with the deferral to compensate for the lower boiler performances.

Headlights

David Chaytor: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what plans he has to implement regulations in respect of vehicles' use of headlights during the hours of daylight; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: During daylight hours vehicles are already required by the Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations 1989 to use headlamps in seriously reduced visibility.
	The Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions has no plans to amend the regulations to mandate their use throughout the hours of daylight.
	The European Commission's proposals to introduce pedestrian protection features in new cars by a negotiated agreement with car manufacturers included a commitment to fit daytime running lamps. This element of the agreement has been deferred for further consideration.

Health and Safety Executive

Michael Clapham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many Health and Safety Executive inspectors are working in the field carrying out inspections; and how many (a) routine visits and (b) accident site examinations they made in 2000–01.

Alan Whitehead: There are 1027.4 full-time equivalent inspectors working in the field carrying out inspections. This number does not include 125.3 full-time equivalent specialist inspectors who in the main carry out investigations rather than planned inspections.
	In the year 2000–01 they made 80,447 planned inspections and investigated 15,489 incidents. There is no available data on the number of accident site examinations, instead HSE records the number of incidents investigated. In more serious cases several inspectors may make several site examinations for an individual incident investigation.

Health and Safety Executive

Michael Clapham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what the total funding provided to the Health and Safety Executive for 2001–02 is; and what the proposed funding is for 2002–03.

Alan Whitehead: The total funding for HSC/E for 2001–02 and proposed funding for 2002–03 is set out in the table. Budget data are provided in the HSC Strategic Plan 2001–04 published in October 2001.
	
		Budget settlements for 2001–02 to 2002–03 -- £ million
		
			   2001–02 plan 2002–03 plan 
		
		
			 Administration costs 193.7 195.9 
			 Programme expenditure 49.4 54.4 
			 Income -59.4 -58.3 
			 Total HSE resource budget 183.7 192 
			
			 HSE capital budget 6.9 9.9 
			
			 HSL resource budget -2.2 -2.2 
			 HSL capital budget 4.2 4.2 
			  
			 Total managed expenditure 192.6 203.9 
		
	
	Note:
	From 2001–02, the Government have changed the way they budget and account for public expenditure. Under the new resource accounting and budgeting arrangements Departments and bodies such as HSE have to budget for non-cash costs such as depreciation on fixed assets and a 6 per cent. capital charge on net assets. This budget is reviewed on an annual basis. HSC/E's budget for non-cash costs in 2001–02 is £12 million. (The figures do not include this.)

Health and Safety Executive

Tony Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what representations he has received on the promptness of the response of the Health and Safety Executive following the gas explosion in Newton Heath, Manchester on Saturday 17 November; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Byers: Pursuant to the answer of 22 November 2001, Official Report, column 393W, I personally received representations from my hon. Friend the Member for Manchester, Central. I share his concerns about this issue and have asked the Director General of the Health and Safety Executive to provide my hon. Friend with full progress reports of the investigation being conducted by Transco.

Fire Authorities

Michael Clapham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make extra funding available to fire authorities to pay for anti-terrorist strategies; and if he will make a statement.

Alan Whitehead: In the light of the events of 11 September, we have established with the fire service stakeholders a group, chaired by HM Chief Inspector of Fire Services. The group is evaluating, among other things, the existing response capabilities of, and the need for specialist appliances and equipment for, local authority fire and rescue services. The group will be reporting shortly and we shall consider the implications of its report, including the resource requirements, as a matter of urgency.

Electoral Pilots

Jonathan Djanogly: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions whether local authorities operating electoral pilots for the May 2002 local elections involving all-postal ballots will be required to (a) ensure that ballot papers are fully accessible to visually impaired voters through the use of (i) standard ballot papers which conform to clear print guidelines, (ii) tactile templates, and (iii) notices in alternative formats and (b) offer visually impaired and other print disabled people an alternative means of casting a secret ballot independently.

Alan Whitehead: The criteria for assessing applications to conduct electoral pilot schemes at the May 2002 local elections include the criterion that no elector, including anyone who is visually impaired, should be disadvantaged in casting their vote in any proposed pilot compared with the standard procedure for conducting elections. We will consider any alternative means for visually impaired electors to vote in secret provided the basic principles for secrecy of the ballot are maintained.

Visually Impaired Voters

Jonathan Djanogly: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what steps his Department is taking to ensure that electoral administrators comply with the duty to display at least one large print notice and have available a voting template for the benefit of visually impaired voters at every polling station in the May 2002 local elections; and what assessment he has made of the availability of these devices at the 2001 General Election.

Alan Whitehead: Returning officers are under a legal duty to display a large print ballot paper and to provide a voting device for the visually impaired in each polling station. Any returning officer failing to comply may, therefore, be subject to prosecution. The Home Office ensured that sufficient voting templates were available to every returning officer free of charge to supply each polling station at the 2001 General Election.

Public Service Agreements

Brian White: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what progress is being made in concluding local public service agreements.

Nick Raynsford: The national roll-out phase of local PSAs is now under way. Almost 120 local authorities have said they want to take part in the programme over the next two years. We have signed the first of these further agreements with East Riding of Yorkshire council, and expect to sign agreements with Leeds city council, Peterborough city council and Buckinghamshire county council before Christmas. Copies of local PSAs will be placed in the House Library as they are concluded.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Livestock Markets

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she has made of loss in (a) turnover and (b) tax revenue caused by the closure of livestock markets.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 4 December 2001
	The Department is working to establish the economic losses resulting from the closure of livestock markets. The tax revenue losses from closure are very uncertain.

Rural Bus Services

Colin Breed: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to her answer of 28 November 2001, how many rural households were within 10 minutes walk of an hourly bus service in (a) 1992 to 1994, (b) 1995 to 1997 and (c) 1998 to 2000.

Alun Michael: It is not possible to provide figures of numbers of households because the appropriate total numbers of households in rural areas for multiplying up the proportions are not available. Rural areas are all areas which are not defined as urban areas, plus urban areas with a population less than 3,000, as defined by the 1991 census. Information on the proportion of households within 10 minutes walk of an hourly bus service (based on information from the National Travel Survey) was provided for the hon. Member on 21 November 2001, Official Report, columns 327–28W, by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, my hon. Friend the Member for Northampton, North (Ms Keeble).

Energy Policy

David Chaytor: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what submission her Department has made to the performance and innovation unit's inquiry into long-term energy policy.

Michael Meacher: The Department submitted six papers to the performance and innovation unit's energy review, all of which can be seen on its website. The papers are entitled: Introduction and Projections Methodology; Low Carbon Options for the Domestic Sector; Scope for Demand Side Measures in Industry; Energy Projections for the Service Sector; Transport Energy Efficiency; and Additional Savings and Associated Costs. I am a member of the advisory group to the review, and my Department has also been in regular contact with the unit throughout the review.

Animal Holdings

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many holdings in each of the last 10 years had (a) one animal, (b) two to five animals, (c) five to 10 animals, (d) 10 to 100 animals, (e) 100 to 200 animals and (f) more than 200 animals.

Elliot Morley: Number of main holdings in England by animal size group is provided in the table.
	
		Animal size groups
		
			  1 2–5 6–10 11–100 101–200 201 and over Total 
		
		
			 1990 537 3,438 3,878 34,806 17,148 37,885 97,692 
			 1991 569 3,586 3,930 34,644 16,850 37,160 96,739 
			 1992 665 3,677 3,988 34,849 16,689 36,745 96,613 
			 1993 779 3,825 4,161 34,864 16,557 36,414 96,600 
			 1994 745 3,874 4,080 34,495 16,446 36,164 95,804 
			 1995 593 3,173 3,517 32,891 16,177 35,102 91,453 
			 1996 589 3,279 3,447 32,254 16,162 34,524 90,255 
			 1997 648 3,036 3,207 32,657 15,647 34,192 89,387 
			 1998 645 2,995 3,381 31,433 15,337 33,984 87,775 
			 1999 476 3,291 3,311 31,070 15,200 33,640 86,988 
			 2000 665 4,088 3,510 27,372 13,649 31,650 80,934 
		
	
	Note:
	Animals include total cattle and calves, total pigs, total sheep and lambs, total goats and farmed deer (except for 1990 where no figure for farmed deer is available).
	Source:
	June Agricultural and Horticultural Census (main holdings only).

Trade Effluent

David Chaytor: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to her answer of 2 July 2001, Official Report, column 46W, on trade effluent, if she will answer all the questions listed.

Michael Meacher: holding answer 4 December 2001
	In my answer of 2 July 2001, Official Report, column 46W, I informed my hon. Friend that the information he requested was not held centrally. I now have this information which I am pleased to make available to him. The following tables contain this information.
	The total number of prosecutions for breaches of trade effluent discharge consents between 1 April 1999 and 31 July 2001 is 21, with total fines of £141,500. Unfortunately no information is available for 1998 as records only began in April 1999.
	
		
			 Environment agency region/sector Total fines (£) 
		
		
			 Anglian  
			 None None 
			   
			 Midlands  
			 None None 
			   
			 North East  
			 Food Processing 32,000 
			 Mining/quarries 500 
			 Local authority 1,500 
			   
			 North West  
			 Brewery 9,500 
			 Board Manufacturer 10,000 
			 Timber Merchants 2,000 
			 Mining/quarries 4,000 
			 Paper Manufacturers 17,500 
			   
			 Southern  
			 Food Processing 14,000 
			 Mining/quarries 2,000 
			 Food Processing 2,000 
			   
			 South West  
			 Textiles 2,000 
			 Mining/quarries 1,000 
			 Food Processing 3,000 
			 Mining/quarries 500 
			 Mining/quarries (41)— 
			   
			 Thames  
			 Brewery 9,000 
			   
			 Wales  
			 Water 4,000 
			 Water 2,000 
			 Water 10,000 
			 Energy 15,000 
		
	
	(41) 3 year conditional discharge
	
		Percentage 
		
			   Compliance of discharge consents in force  
			 Environment agency region 1998 1999 2000 
		
		
			 Anglian 73.5 74.3 78.6 
			 Midlands(42) 83.5 85.9 84.7 
			 North East 85.9 86.5 83.8 
			 North West 88.6 86.4 82.3 
			 Southern 62.8 59.6 70.7 
			 South West 49.2 61.3 61.9 
			 Thames 87.0 84.2 86.5 
			 England 80.1 81.5 79.5 
			 Wales 77.3 52.2 71.8 
			 All regions 79.6 78.3 78.5 
		
	
	(42) Midlands Region data for 1998 and 1999 are for all trade discharges as it is not possible to breakdown this historic data to significant discharges only
	
		
			   Percentage of consents in force monitored  
			 Environment agency region 1998 1999 2000 
		
		
			 Anglian 91.1 92.8 87.3 
			 Midlands 82.5 72.8 66.6 
			 North East 45.7 45.0 49.2 
			 North West 73.5 58.5 61.6 
			 Southern 77.7 77.3 56.0 
			 South West 100.0 91.0 80.4 
			 Thames 93.5 87.4 59.2 
			 England 74.8 69.1 64.1 
			 Wales 62.2 72.9 89.8 
			 All regions 72.7 69.6 67.3 
		
	
	
		
			   Percentage of trade discharge consents reviewed  
			 Environment agency region 1998 1999 2000 
		
		
			 Anglian 2 1 1 
			 Midlands 5 6 19 
			 North East 2 2 2 
			 North West 3 5 2 
			 Southern 9 17 9 
			 South West 12 8 14 
			 Thames 35 18 18 
			 England 7 6 9 
			 Wales 15 20 19 
			 All regions 8 8 10 
		
	
	
		
			   Percentage of discharge consents containing red list substances  
			 Environment agency region 1998 1999 2000 
		
		
			 Anglian 7.0 6.1 6.1 
			 Midlands 3.0 2.8 5.1 
			 North East 2.2 2.3 2.2 
			 North West 3.9 2.8 0.7 
			 Southern 12.2 16.3 9.9 
			 South West 11.6 9.7 8.5 
			 Thames 4.0 3.5 2.9 
			 England 4.6 4.2 4.4 
			 Wales 0.5 0.8 0.8 
			 All regions 4.0 3.8 3.9 
		
	
	
		
			   Number of industrial discharge consents in force  
			 Environment agency region 1998 1999 2000 
		
		
			 Anglian 313 374 378 
			 Midlands 1,186 1,329 680 
			 North East 982 958 950 
			 North West 559 675 586 
			 Southern 188 141 232 
			 South West 362 442 541 
			 Thames 277 317 377 
			 England 3,867 4,236 3,744 
			 Wales(43) 740 531 528 
			 All regions 4,607 4,767 4,272 
		
	
	(43) The figure for 2000 is an estimate, accurate data are unavailable

Advisory Group on Veterinary Medicines

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to her answer of 27 November 2001, Official Report, column 850W, on veterinary medicines, for what reasons the minutes of the Advisory Group on Veterinary Medicines are considered confidential.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 4 December 2001
	The Advisory Group on Veterinary Residues (AGVR) was set up in 1995 under different arrangements from those that are currently in place for its successor, the Veterinary Residues Committee. Members of the AGVR included a number of independent experts from several fields, including a consumer representative. They were aware that a summary of their deliberations would be published each year in the Annual Report on Surveillance for Veterinary Residues. However, at no stage were they advised that their comments in meetings, which were minuted, would be made public. There are also elements in the minutes which may be commercially sensitive.
	As indicated in the answer of 27 November 2001, Official Report, column 850W, the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) is considering how the minutes might be released. However, before they can be released the VMD will need to seek the agreement of all of the former members of the AGVR to the release of information since they had supplied the information in confidence. This is in accordance with Part II, Paragraph 14 (a) of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information, Second Edition (1997).

Fuel Poverty

Jonathan Sayeed: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps the Government are taking to eradicate fuel poverty in the UK.

Michael Meacher: The UK fuel poverty strategy was published on 21 November. This set out the Government's goal to seek an end to the problem of fuel poverty, with the first target to ensure that by 2010, no vulnerable household—older people, families, disabled and long- term sick—need risk ill health due to a cold home or spend more than 10 per cent. of income to keep warm.
	The strategy is based on a range of programmes and measures to tackle the root causes of fuel poverty: programmes to improve the energy efficiency of fuel poor households. These include the individual home energy efficiency schemes within each country as well as programmes to improve the standard of social housing. As part of their reports under the Home Energy Conservation Act 1996, we have asked energy conservation authorities to report on their efforts to tackle fuel poverty; continuing action to maintain the downward pressure on fuel bills, ensuring fair treatment for the less well off; continuing action to tackle poverty and social exclusion.
	We will also be working with interested groups to further improve these programmes, and also to develop programmes that can identify and assist those healthy adult households at risk from longer-term fuel poverty.

Foot and Mouth

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will update and publish the information given in the letter of 6 August from the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State to the hon. Member for the Vale of York concerning the contingency plans to stop the spread of foot and mouth disease in the Vale of York, North Yorkshire and the Humber region (ref 3469).

Elliot Morley: My letter of 6 August provided the following information:
	"On 9 July you tabled a parliamentary question which I was unable to reply to before the House rose for summer recess. You asked what contingency plans there were to stop the spread of foot and mouth disease in (a) Vale of York, (b) North Yorkshire and (c) Yorkshire and the Humber region.
	I am sorry that I was unable to reply, but had I had done so, I would have told you that a contingency plan has been drawn up that will enable the Department and field staff to respond rapidly to an outbreak occurring in any of the three areas. The current plan emphasises the continued adherence to and rigorous enforcement of the existing control strategies, including tight bio-security. It is a working document that will be refined in the light of any developments including up to date advice. In addition, DEFRA has now announced that in an area surrounding Thirsk, additional, stronger biosecurity measures will be introduced. A Press Release (59/01) was issued on 23 July."
	A copy of my letter was placed in the Library of the House.
	Since the date of that letter, the plan has been further developed to ensure that strict biosecurity measures, along the lines of those applied in the Thirsk area, can be rapidly implemented should a new case occur in any part of the region. These measures coupled with the ongoing message on biosecurity continue to be successful in preventing the spread of the disease.
	In addition, we maintain the capability, both in terms of infrastructure and resources, to respond to any recurrence of disease expeditiously. This capability is being taken forward so that it forms part of an integrated contingency response for the north of England as a whole.
	It is encouraging that North Yorkshire has had no outbreaks since 18 August, but we continue to maintain our guard.

Foot and Mouth

Michael Jack: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many diagnoses of foot and mouth disease in the current outbreak have subsequently been proved incorrect; and if he will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 6 November 2001
	As of 27 November 2001, the total number of infected premises (IPs) in Great Britain was 2,026. In 299 confirmed cases samples were not taken, for example where clear clinical signs of FMD were observed and where disease had already been confirmed in the locality. Of the 1,727 cases where samples were taken, 1,326 (74 per cent.) were recorded as having a positive laboratory result. However, a negative laboratory result does not necessarily mean the disease was not present and does not change the status of an IP confirmed on clinical grounds.

Foot and Mouth

Brian Cotter: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what scientific evidence her Department has evaluated which supports the assumption that animals vaccinated against foot and mouth can pass the disease on to uninfected animals.

Elliot Morley: The Department has drawn on all of the available scientific research conducted worldwide, as well as relevant epidemiological findings from natural outbreaks of disease, on vaccination against foot and mouth disease in examining potential control policies involving vaccination. A comprehensive review of the use of emergency vaccines against foot and mouth disease will be published shortly in the scientific journal Vaccine.
	The current scientific evidence is that ruminants can, but not invariably, become infected following vaccination and this depends on the strain of the virus and the length of time between vaccination and exposure to the virus. Such animals therefore present a potential risk and the international guidelines on the movement of vaccinated animals take this risk into account. More research of the long-term carrier state is needed in countries with the disease, and where vaccination has been used, as long-term studies of sufficient size are not possible in the laboratory.
	More information about the science of vaccinating against foot and mouth disease is on our website www.defra.gov.uk/footandmouth/vaccination/science.htm.

Foot and Mouth

Anthony Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what are the criteria for imposing a ban on animal movements in Devon; and when these criteria were last met;
	(2)  when she expects to lift the ban on the movement of animals in Devon following the restrictions introduced as a result of foot and mouth disease.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 16 November 2001
	Livestock movement restrictions are imposed throughout Great Britain using powers contained in the Foot and Mouth Disease Order 1983 (as amended). A total ban on movements applied only for one week (23 February to 2 March). Since then, movements have been permitted under licence to abattoirs and from farm to farm subject to conditions. Movement restrictions reflect the disease status of the county, which is based on veterinary advice. FMD free status is awarded on the basis of extensive blood testing of sheep. Devon was classified as an FMD free county on 27 November.
	Details of permitted movements, county classification (updated weekly) and the criteria for classification may be found on the DEFRA website at www.defraweb/ footandmouth.

Foot and Mouth

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to her answer of 20 November 2001, Official Report, column 196W, (Ref. 12294), what percentage of the payments made to valuers in the foot and mouth disease epidemic totalled £1,500.

Elliot Morley: Seventeen per cent. of the payments made to valuers during the foot and mouth epidemic totalled £1,500.

Cattle Markets

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what risk assessment she has received on the reopening of cattle markets; when she plans to allow Chippenham cattle market to reopen; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 19 November 2001
	The decision to reopen livestock markets in England and Wales will depend on scientific and veterinary advice, taking account of the inherent risks of farmers and animals mixing and potentially spreading the disease mechanically or biologically. An initial veterinary risk assessment is currently being considered and will be published shortly. Depending on progress towards eradicating the foot and mouth disease, it is hoped that it may be possible to reopen cattle markets in the early part of next year.

Livestock Movements

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she will relax the regulations which prevent farmers moving livestock on the hoof in the area surrounding their farms.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 19 November 2001
	The provisions of a "sole occupancy" licence on animal movements do permit 'on the hoof' movements up to 500 m as long as they are made in accordance with the regulations. All the licensing provisions on animal movement are kept under review in the light of the developing disease situation. I will continue to announce changes as they are introduced.

Elvaston Landfill Site, Derbyshire

Mark Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many complaints have been received by the Environment Agency concerning smells from the Elvaston Landfill site in Derbyshire since October 2000; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: Since October 2000, the agency has received 189 complaints in respect of smells from the Elvaston Landfill site.
	I am aware that the site was affected by the serious flooding across the country that occurred on 7 November 2000. The Environment Agency is working with the licence holder to ensure that human health and the environment are protected. As a result of the odour problems, a notice was served on the site operator on 19 November 2001 under section 42(5) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 requiring the operator to provide the agency with a plan for controlling leachate from the site. The operator complied with notice by the deadline set by the agency, who are in the process of reviewing the proposed plan.

Fishing (Scotland)

Alex Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on what occasions Scottish Ministers have spoken formally at the Council of Ministers on Scotland's fishing interests.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 26 November 2001
	I lead for the United Kingdom at the Council of Fisheries Ministers and speak to an agreed line on matters affecting all parts of the UK. Following the long-standing tradition of Scottish ministerial participation in Fisheries Councils, the Scottish Minister attends as part of the United Kingdom delegation and speaks in support of the agreed UK line—usually on issues of particular concern to Scotland. No record is kept of the occasions on which Scottish Ministers speak.

Sea Fishing

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent assessment she has made of the need for (a) consolidation and (b) updating of the legislation and regulations under which Sea Fisheries Committees operate.

Elliot Morley: The primary legislation was consolidated in the Sea Fisheries Regulation Act 1966. Subsequently, section 102 of the Environment Act 1995 has added to the 1966 Act provisions to allow each Committee to act for marine environmental purposes. In addition the Sea Fisheries (Wildlife Conservation) Act 1992 requires appropriate Ministers and relevant bodies (including the Sea Fisheries Committees) to have regard to the conservation of flora and fauna in the discharge of their functions under the sea fisheries Acts.
	It would be sensible to wait for consolidation and/or updating of the legislation and regulations under which Sea Fisheries Committees operate until the EU review of the Common Fisheries Policy has been completed at the end of 2002.

Timber

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she is taking to ensure that all timber imports into the UK come from sustainable sources.

Elliot Morley: The Government are working with the timber trade, environmental pressure groups and other stakeholders to encourage a greater demand for sustainable timber across all sectors of the economy. The Government are also working with many stakeholders in different producer countries to promote sustainable forest management as well as tackling illegal logging. The Forest Law Enforcement Conference held in Bali in September, which the Under-Secretary of State for International Development attended on behalf of the Government, has added a new dynamism to efforts to curb illegal logging through effective measures at a national, bilateral and international level.
	For their own operational activities the Government are committed to actively seek to purchase the timber and timber products they need from legal and sustainable sources. To this end Government buyers have been instructed to implement this policy and to report annually on their purchases. An interdepartmental working group is monitoring progress and will provide further guidance and advice to buyers. The Government's approach should help to transform the market into supplying more timber and timber products from sustainably managed sources. More information is given in the Third Annual Report on Greening Government, published on 27 November 2001 and available on the internet (http://www.sustainable- development.gov.uk).
	These steps are a tangible measure of the Government's commitment to implement the G8 Action on Forests agreed at its 1998 Birmingham summit.

Fridges

Jonathan Sayeed: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to enable local authorities to collect and dispose of old fridges and freezers free of charge.

Michael Meacher: Waste disposal authorities have a statutory duty to provide reasonably accessible sites where householders can dispose of their waste free of charge but they may restrict the availability of particular sites to specified descriptions of waste. Waste collection authorities have a statutory duty to arrange for the collection of household waste. However, they are entitled to impose a collection cost charge for certain wastes, including items over 25 kg.

Fridges

Jonathan Sayeed: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has for facilities to recycle foam from fridges.

Michael Meacher: In order to speed up investment in domestic treatment facilities my Department has finalised guidance on standards to be applied to treatment facilities. Decisions on investment in plant are for individual companies to take.

Fridges

Jonathan Sayeed: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if the Government will be able to comply immediately with the EC regulation on the disposal of fridges.

Michael Meacher: As from 1 January 2002, there will be an obligation to recover ozone depleting substances (ODS) (including CFCs and HCFCs) from insulation foam in refrigeration equipment before such appliances are scrapped. Stakeholders are aware of the requirements of the regulation and measures have been put in place to facilitate the storage of waste refrigeration units pending treatment facilities becoming available.

Fridges

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what plans she has to part-fund the costs incurred by local authorities storing end-of-life refrigerators prior to recycling;
	(2)  what plans she has to launch a local government funding initiative to part-fund the costs incurred by local authorities storing end-of-life refrigerators prior to recycling.

Margaret Beckett: I announced on 4 December an extra £6 million in the local government finance settlement to help local authorities with the extra costs of dealing with fridges to the end of this financial year. We are urgently assessing the impacts of the Ozone Depleting Substances Regulation (EC Regulation No 2037/2000) and will determine what further action will be necessary beyond that.

Flood Prevention

Malcolm Moss: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what impact she anticipates (a) flood clean-up expenditure and (b) flood prevention expenditure will have on the level of council tax in English local authorities in the next financial year; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: Through the Bellwin arrangements, Government expect to contribute some £26 million to the costs incurred by local authorities affected by flooding in 2000. Standard Spending Assessments (SSAs) for flood defence for English local authorities were announced on 4 December. Government provide grant which covers some three quarters of SSA with the remainder assumed to be raised from the standard level of council tax.
	The Government's expenditure under Bellwin, coupled with their meeting a major proportion of the SSA, will substantially mitigate the effect on council tax bills arising from flooding, though the actual effect will depend on each local authority's spending decisions across all its functions.

Flood Prevention

Jonathan Sayeed: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much new public money (a) has been spent in 2001 and (b) will be spent in 2002 on improving flood defences in (i) Bewdley, (ii) Hertfordshire, (iii) Shrewsbury, (iv) Malton, Yorkshire, (v) Norton, Yorkshire and (vi) East Anglia.

Elliot Morley: This Department provides grants for flood and coastal defence capital works, and associated studies, which meet essential technical, economic and environmental criteria and achieve an appropriate priority score. Further to increases in spending plans in the last two spending reviews, additional funding of £51 million over the four years from 2000–01 was announced in November 2000 following the severe flooding last year. An increased priority was given to urban flood defence and the grant rates for all river flood defences was increased by 20 per cent.
	Operational responsibility for flood management measures rests with the local operating authorities, normally the Environment Agency, internal drainage boards and local councils, who decide which projects to promote and their timing. The operational authorities are invited to submit applications for DEFRA funding, and we do not differentiate between "old" and "new" money. The information given relates to flood defence improvement works to be undertaken by the Environment Agency (information on the same basis, from internal drainage boards and local councils, is not readily available).
	
		
			  £000 
		
		
			 Bewdley  
			 Spent in 2001–02 750 
			 Planned expenditure in 2002–03 2,500 
			   
			 Hertfordshire  
			 Spent in 2001–02 480 
			 Planned expenditure in 2002–03 3,230 
			   
			 Shrewsbury  
			 Spent in 2001–02 750 
			 Planned expenditure in 2002–03 2,500 
			   
			 Malton/Norton  
			 Spent in 2001–02 800 
			 Planned expenditure in 2002–03 5,000 
			   
			 East Anglia  
			 Spent in 2001–02 24,600 
			 Planned expenditure in 2002–03 28,800

Flooding Costs

Jonathan Sayeed: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she has made of the overall cost of flooding in the last three years in (a) Bewdley, (b) Shrewsbury, (c) East Anglia, (d) York, (e) Hertfordshire, (f) Stratford upon Avon, (g) Leamington Spa, (h) Yalding, (i) Uckfield, (j) Lewes, (k) Malton, Yorkshire and (l) Norton, Yorkshire.

Elliot Morley: Such information is not available though the Environment Agency has commissioned research into the costs of flooding in areas affected by the late 2000 floods.

Home Energy Efficiency Scheme

Neil Gerrard: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what are the objectives of the Home Energy Efficiency Scheme.

Michael Meacher: The objective of the Home Energy Efficiency Scheme is to improve the energy efficiency of private sector homes occupied by those householders most vulnerable to cold-related ill-health who are either in, or at risk from, fuel poverty.
	Older householders, families with young children, the disabled and long-term ill are all regarded as being vulnerable to cold-related ill-health.

Tuberculosis

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many (a) full-time and (b) part-time staff from her Department have been assigned to deal with tuberculosis in cattle in each of the last 12 months.

Elliot Morley: Figures are not available in the format requested. However, various figures are available which show the staff input into the TB programme. These are shown in the tables.
	In order to make a reasonable comparison, the figures have been recalculated as number of staff days worked on TB each month.
	
		Number of days spent on dealing with tuberculosis in cattle
		
			  SVS and LVIs TVIs Administration 
		
		
			 2000
			 November 3,760 315 585 
			 December 3,112 218 624 
			 
			 2001
			 January 4,584 361 615 
			 February 2,910 242 518 
			 March 725 23 314 
			 April 609 24 160 
			 May 407 13 119 
			 June 561 20 156 
			 July 780 26 202 
			 August 533 13 227 
			 September 521 18 242 
			 October 557 32 (44)242 
			  
			 Total 19,059 1,305 4,004 
		
	
	(44) Estimate
	Note:
	The figures for the State Veterinary Service, local veterinary inspectors and temporary veterinary inspectors are for England only. The figures for administrative staff are for England, Wales and Scotland although the bulk will be for England.
	
		Tuberculosis eradication—administration staff
		
			  ADC CVO US ED+Z EXO TSE Total 
		
		
			  Staff employed on TB eradication(45),(46),(47) 
			 November 2000 23.77 0.40 — 2.30 — 0.13 26.60 
			 December 2000 31.26 0.80 0.20 2.25 — 0.15 34.66 
			 January 2001 24.06 0.40 — 3.30 0.02 0.15 27.93 
			 February 2001 23.47 — 0.30 2.10 0.01 — 25.88 
			 March 2001 13.07 — — 1.20 — 0.01 14.28 
			 April 2001 7.77 — 0.02 0.60 — 0.02 8.41 
			 May 2001 4.17 — 0.02 1.45 — 0.02 5.66 
			 June 2001 5.72 — 0.02 1.65 — 0.02 7.41 
			 July 2001 7.33 — 0.04 1.80 — 0.02 9.19 
			 August 2001 8.15 — 0.04 2.10 — 0.02 10.31 
			 September 2001 10.00 — — 2.10 — 0.02 12.12 
			 October 2001(48) 8.49 — 0.03 2.00 — 0.02 10.54 
			  
			 Total 167.26 1.60 0.67 22.85 0.03 0.58 192.99 
			 
			  Recalculated in days—above figures multiplied by the number of working days in the month—eg November 2000: 23.77 X 22 
			 November 2000 522.9 8.8 0.0 50.6 0.0 2.9 585.2 
			 December 2000 562.7 14.4 3.6 40.5 0.0 2.7 623.9 
			 January 2001 529.3 8.8 0.0 72.6 0.4 3.3 614.5 
			 February 2001 469.4 0.0 6.0 42.0 0.2 0.0 517.6 
			 March 2001 287.5 0.0 0.0 26.4 0.0 0.2 314.2 
			 April 2001 147.6 0.0 0.4 11.4 0.0 0.4 159.8 
			 May 2001 87.6 0.0 0.4 30.5 0.0 0.4 118.9 
			 June 2001 120.1 0.0 0.4 34.7 0.0 0.4 155.6 
			 July 2001 161.3 0.0 0.9 39.6 0.0 0.4 202.2 
			 August 2001 179.3 0.0 0.9 46.2 0.0 0.4 226.8 
			 September 2001 200.0 0.0 0.0 42.0 0.0 0.4 242.4 
			 October 2001(48) 195.3 0.0 0.7 46.0 0.0 0.5 242.4 
			  
			 Total 3,463.0 32.0 13.3 482.4 0.6 12.0 4,003.4 
		
	
	(45) Totals include full-time and part-time
	(46) Figures from GIS sheet
	(47) Average last three months
	(48) Estimated over previous three months
	Note:
	Average last three months
	
		All figures are in days 
		
			  2000 2001  
			 Office November December January February March April May  June July August September October 
		
		
			  WRS output for chapter 23 for all SVS staff excluding TVIs
			 Carlisle 56.3 49.1 74.4 38.0 0.0 0.0 0.00 0.0 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Leeds 30.4 25.7 21.8 18.9 0.6 1.0 0.0 0.0 0.7 0.4 1.2 0.6 
			 Preston 27.0 21.9 26.2 16.5 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Stafford 127.1 125.9 267.6 150.3 53.7 60.06 32.6 26.3 51.2 46.0 39.1 47.2 
			 Lincoln 12.6 14.0 30.4 19.5 6.2 7.8 8.7 2.5 2.6 3.1 1.9 2.3 
			 Leicester 32.9 23.6 44.9 28.2 9.7 7.8 6.5 10.8 13.2 5.9 4.0 4.3 
			 Chelmsford 7.7 8.1 20.4 11.1 1.0 0.5 1.0 0.8 1.0 0.4 0.0 0.5 
			 Reading 59.0 47.6 68.2 45.8 11.9 5.1 6.9 18.0 18.9 6.7 10.3 15.9 
			 Bury 13.1 7.8 22.1 13.4 5.2 4.4 4.4 10.7 6.5 4.7 3.7 0.6 
			 Reigate 26.8 29.0 51.7 24.4 27.9 22.6 15.6 12.0 19.2 15.8 14.2 20.4 
			 Gloucester 510.0 463.9 656.4 359.4 10.1 16.1 29.1 41.0 91.9 59.4 67.2 9.3 
			 Taunton 177.9 154.5 236.1 122.3 38.7 60.8 32.6 38.1 80.5 49.8 53.0 52.0 
			 Exeter 448.6 413.0 550.0 325.8 48.8 43.8 32.3 21.0 26.9 40.3 43.8 87.5 
			 Truro 312.3 255.2 384.7 351.4 207.5 197.7 109.7 191.4 250.1 154.3 155.8 140.1 
			 Worcester 257.9 235.4 318.9 186.7 19.1 23.8 17.1 17.8 41.6 38.6 41.8 65.2 
			 WLU Exeter 27.1 20.2 34.9 20.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.0 0.0 5.9 7.2 13.5 
			 WLU Aston Down 762.3 521.2 795.8 518.6 145.2 80.7 64.7 95.6 95.0 40.2 24.8 0.0 
			 WLU Polwhele 871.2 696.5 979.4 659.5 139.5 76.3 45.3 73.8 81.0 61.8 53.3 97.1 
			  
			 Total 3,760.1 3,112.4 4,583.9 2,909.8 724.9 609.0 406.6 560.8 780.3 533.4 521.3 556.5 
			 Grand total 19,059.1  
			
			  WRS output for chapter 23 for TVIs only  
			 Carlisle 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Leeds 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Preston 0.0 0.0 0.2 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Stafford 5.7 4.9 3.4 1.2 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Lincoln 0.0 3.4 1.0 1.7 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Leicester 3.0 2.2 1.9 0.8 0.0 0.0 0.6 0.0 1.7 0.0 0.0 1.3 
			 Chelmsford 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Reading 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Bury 2.3 2.3 4.3 4.4 0.5 3.6 1.5 1.4 1.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Reigate 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Gloucester 100.8 74.2 121.5 83.2 0.0 4.0 2.0 1.0 10.6 6.8 3.3 8.5 
			 Taunton 0.0 1.8 9.4 5.6 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.5 0.0 0.0 4.2 
			 Exeter 68.3 50.1 79.5 64.4 0.0 0.5 0.0 0.0 0.3 0.1 0.1 0.0 
			 Truro 74.7 43.1 73.6 51.0 20.9 15.8 8.3 17.2 10.3 3.8 13.8 14.3 
			 Worcester 60.6 35.7 66.1 29.4 1.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.9 2.6 0.5 3.6 
			 WLU Exeter 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 WLU Aston Down 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 WLU Polwhele 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			  
			 Total 315.4 217.6 360.8 241.7 22.5 23.9 12.5 19.5 26.4 13.3 17.7 31.9 
			 Grand total 1,303.3

Waterways (Freight)

David Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what policies she has for maximising the use of inland waterways for (a) carriage of freight, (b) leisure and (c) tourism.

Michael Meacher: The Government's policies for the inland waterways are set out in the publication "Waterways for Tomorrow", published in June 2000, copies of which are available in the Library. The Government want to promote a modern, integrated and sustainable approach to the use of inland waterways. This includes greater carriage of freight, when this is practical, economic and environmentally desirable, and to encourage people to make more use of the waterways for leisure and tourism.

Scrapie

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she expects the national flock to be free of scrapie; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: The elimination of scrapie from the national flock is the objective of the national scrapie plan for Great Britain which I launched in July. Modelling work undertaken early last year suggested that it would be possible to have a significant increase in the resistance of the national flock within 10 years. We are currently updating the model to reflect current information, including the level of actual uptake under the plan. We will then be taking the views of stakeholders on what would be an appropriate target date, or dates, to work towards for the achievement of a scrapie-resistant sheep flock. The Animal Health Bill currently before Parliament would give the Government the ability to underpin a target date by using compulsory genotyping powers.

Age Discrimination

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on her Department's policy towards people working after the age of 65 years; and how many such people are so employed (a) by her Department and (b) on a sub-contracted basis.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 30 November 2001
	The Department's maximum age of retirement for staff of all grades is 65. Exceptionally staff may be retained beyond that age, for a short period, where it is essential to meet business needs. Two such staff are currently employed.
	In addition, records show that 110 temporary veterinary inspectors aged 65 and over were appointed during the foot and mouth disease emergency.
	Departmental contracts for subcontracted work do not specify an age criterion.

Farm Incomes

Colin Breed: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to her answer of 21 November 2001, Official Report, columns 319–20W, on farm incomes, if the (a) total farming, (b) individual, (c) total off-farming and (d) individual off-farming income levels include income from subsidy payments; and what the (i) total income from farming and (ii) total off-farming income was by region in (A) England, (B) Wales and (C) Scotland in each year since 1996.

Elliot Morley: The figures for farm incomes presented in the answer of 21 November 2001, Official Report, columns 319–20W, included all the subsidies to farming. In addition to that answer, the figures show the total incomes from farming and the average off-farm income per farm in England, Scotland and Wales. These figures will be revised next year to be consistent with the latest UK figures. The total off-farm income is not available at country level.
	
		Total income from farming (TIFF) -- £million
		
			 March/February England Wales Scotland 
		
		
			 1996 3,904 343 524 
			 1997 2,452 180 344 
			 1998 1,986 68 246 
			 1999 2,093 59 261 
			 2000 1,552 -2 228 
		
	
	
		Total off farm income per farm -- £000
		
			 March/February England Wales Scotland 
		
		
			 1996–97 5.0 4.5 7.2 
			 1997–98 4.9 4.2 6.0 
			 1998–99 5.3 4.3 6.9 
			 1999–2000 4.6 4.6 8.0

Countryside Stewardship Scheme

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the qualifying criteria are for the countryside stewardship scheme; and what assessment she has made of the practicability of the conditions of the scheme with reference to (a) grazing levels and sward height, (b) winter housing of bovine livestock and (c) use of outdoor cattle feeders in winter.

Alun Michael: The principal qualifying criteria for the countryside stewardship scheme are:
	(a) meeting the scheme's objectives for landscape, wildlife, history and amenity;
	(b) meeting the national and regional environmental priorities of the England Rural Development Programme;
	(c) being within one of the scheme's county target areas; and
	(d) representing good value for money.
	Depending on the scheme options involved, most stewardship agreements include detailed requirements for reduced grazing levels and sward height, and the need to prevent poaching caused by, for instance, the use of outdoor cattle feeders in winter. Full account is taken of individual circumstances when setting these requirements.
	The winter housing of bovine livestock is a farm animal welfare issue and not dealt with by the scheme.

Finisher Feed

Colin Breed: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what proportion of poultry was slaughtered in the United Kingdom before the withdrawal period for finisher feed was completed in November and December of (a) 1998, (b) 1999 and (c) 2000;
	(2)  what proportion of poultry was slaughtered in the United Kingdom before the withdrawal period for finisher feed was completed in (a) 1998, (b) 1999, (c) 2000 and (d) 2001.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 23 November 2001
	DEFRA do not collect these statistics. It is the responsibility of producers of livestock destined for the food chain to ensure that the appropriate withdrawal period for a veterinary medicine or feed additive has been observed before slaughter.
	The Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) carries out a large-scale annual residues surveillance programme which fulfils our obligations under EC Directive 96/23.
	The results of the programmes for 1998, 1999 and 2000 are fully reported in the VMD's Annual Reports on Surveillance for Veterinary Residues for those years, which are available free of charge from the VMD and are accessible on the VMD's website. The results of the 2001 surveillance programme to date are published in the VMD's quarterly newsletter Medicines Act Veterinary Information Service (MAVIS) and are also regularly updated on the VMD's website in the interests of openness.

LORD CHANCELLOR

Human Rights

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department 
	(1)  what progress has been made in implementing the Human Rights Act 1998;
	(2)  what action (a) has been taken and (b) is planned by the Human Rights Unit to promote the awareness of human rights in the UK.

Michael Wills: The Human Rights Act 1998 was brought into full effect on 2 October 2000. Courts, Government Departments and public authorities received written guidance, training and publicity material about the Act. All Departments reviewed their legislation and procedures in the light of the new provisions. In addition, measures were put in place for necessary co-ordination and monitoring across Whitehall. A £1.2 million blitz advertising campaign was mounted last autumn with advertisements in the national, local and ethnic press. A competition for young people, centred on the Act, attracted over 280 entries involving over 1,000 young people. Research showed that awareness among the public of the Act and the fundamental rights it protects nearly doubled during the period of the campaign.
	The Human Rights Unit has continued after commencement of the Act, and maintains a dedicated helpdesk and an extensive website. It remains a focal point of knowledge and good practice on human rights. Its activities include presentations at a range of seminars, conferences and training events, as well as providing 'roadshow' training events outside London. The Unit has contributed to the work of the Department for Education and Skills to introduce the subject of citizenship in schools, which will be a part of the national curriculum for secondary schools from September 2002, and is working with other organisations on an ambitious new youth awards scheme directed at all UK schools and youth organisations based on the values of the Human Rights Act. The Unit is currently revising guidance for Whitehall Departments about the Act and, with the Bar Council, the popular Study Guide to the Act. These will be re-issued early in the New Year.

Freedom of Information Act

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will make a statement 
	(1)  on the date for the implementation of the Freedom of Information Act 2000;
	(2)  on the decision to defer the implementation of Freedom of Information Act 2000.

Michael Wills: There has been no decision to defer the implementation of the Freedom of Information Act 2000. The Act itself makes it clear that it must be implemented by November 2005 and the timetable announced on 13 November by my right hon. Friend the Lord Chancellor ensures that the Freedom of Information Act will be fully implemented by January 2005, 11 months before the deadline set out in the Act itself.
	The Publication scheme provisions of the Act will be implemented first, on a rolling programme, starting with central Government in 2002. This roll out will be completed in June 2004 and the individual right of access to information held by all public authorities will be implemented in January 2005.
	This approach will give public authorities the time they need to put into effect the change of culture necessary to ensure that new legal rights are delivered effectively in practice. It also aligns with the 2004 target for the completion of the Government's electronic records management. This initiative will enable the fast retrieval and accurate creation and storage of records that will be necessary to meet the demands of the Freedom of Information Act.

Criminal Courts

Andrew George: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what assessment he has made of Lord Justice Auld's report on the operation of the criminal courts.

Michael Wills: The Government are grateful to Sir Robin Auld for his very substantial and important review of the criminal courts at every level. The Government have taken no decisions on his report and we are keen to encourage wide debate on these issues before we reach decisions. The on-going period of public comment ends on 31 January.

Gravesend County Court

Chris Pond: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, pursuant to his answer of 27 November 2001, Official Report, column 830W, on Gravesend county court, how many cases were dealt with by Gravesend county court in each six month period beginning in January 1999.

Michael Wills: The table contains the total number of default and fixed date claims issued and the number of small claims hearings held during the period requested. It should be noted that Gravesend county court has one district judge assigned to it and as such hears no civil trials, which are dealt with by the trial centre at Croydon county court. Further, the court does not have divorce, family or bankruptcy jurisdictions.
	
		Claims issued, small claims hearings and possession applications heard at Gravesend county court during selected periods
		
			  Total claims issued(49) Small claims hearings Mortgage and rent possession applications 
		
		
			 January to June 1999 769 46 197 
			 July to December 1999 802 34 252 
			 January to June 2000 699 33 215 
			 July to December 2000 724 35 182 
			 January to June 2001 575 17 190 
			 July to October 2001 531 21 187 
		
	
	(49) Includes default and fixed date claims

Victims of Crime

Andrew George: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department 
	(1)  what means of communication there are between a (a) victim and (b) victim's family and the prosecuting counsel during court sittings; and if measures are under review;
	(2)  what plans he has to ensure that (a) victims and (b) victims' families have the opportunity to draw the attention of the prosecutor to material matters with which they disagree.

Harriet Harman: Communications between the prosecuting advocate and witnesses prior to a trial are governed by the Bar's Written Standards for the Conduct of Professional Work. The standards provide that a barrister may have contact with a witness with a view to introducing himself or herself, explaining the court's procedure and answering any questions about it which the witness may have. They also place upon the barrister a responsibility to ensure that witnesses are put as much at ease as possible. Victims, or the members of a victim's family, should be treated in the same way. Crown Prosecutors who are solicitors should also adhere to the same standards.
	In the Crown court the prosecuting barrister will be supported by a CPS caseworker. If the victim or members of the victim's family wish to contact the prosecution barrister during the hearing itself, the first point of contact will be the caseworker. In many cases, the caseworker will be able to deal with the query without reference to the prosecuting barrister. In some cases the caseworker will need to refer the victim's comments to the prosecuting barrister. If the caseworker is engaged on another case in a different court, the usual means of communication between the victim or the victim's family and the prosecuting barrister will be via the usher or a police officer.
	In the magistrates court the prosecutor will not have the support of a caseworker and is, as a result, reliant in practice on the usher or a police officer to communicate to him or her any comments that the victim or the victim's family may have during the hearing.
	The Crown Prosecution Service believes that more could be done to encourage victims or the families of victims to make the prosecutor aware of things said in court that are material and are factually incorrect.
	The CPS is therefore currently considering in consultation with Victim Support how victims could be better informed as to when it is appropriate to communicate with the prosecutor and the means by which it can be done.

Victims of Crime

Andrew George: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Bar Code of Conduct in respect of guidance that defence counsel should advise the prosecution with sufficient advance notice of the proposed use of any derogatory remarks to be made against an alleged victim;
	(2)  what (a) representations he has made to and (b) discussions he has had with the Bar regarding its Code of Conduct (i) in respect of the notice given by the defence to the prosecution of any derogatory remarks proposed to be made by them about the alleged victim of a crime and (ii) in respect of other matters where the reputation, honour or naming of a victim is liable to be drawn into controversy or in any other way besmirched.

Harriet Harman: The guidance to defence counsel is set out in the Standards Applicable to Criminal Cases, which are annexed to the Code of Conduct for the Bar of England and Wales. The relevant paragraph (Annex F12.2(k)) is worded as follows:
	"A barrister acting for the defence . . . should as to anything which he is instructed to submit in mitigation which casts aspersions on the conduct or character of a victim or witness in the case, notify the prosecution in advance so as to give prosecuting counsel sufficient opportunity to consider his position. . .".
	All practising members of the Bar are expected to be familiar with the Code of Conduct and to apply its principles and standards. The Code is issued subject to the approval of the Lord Chancellor. Neither the Bar nor the Lord Chancellor routinely monitors compliance with the Code but the Bar, through complaints referred to its Professional Conduct Committee, is able to assess the effectiveness of particular parts of the Code upon which a complaint is based. No complaints have been made about individual barristers failing to observe the guidance set out above.
	I have made no representations, nor had any discussions with the Bar in relation to the Code of Conduct and the operation of the specific guidance on derogatory mitigation. I am able to confirm that no such discussions have taken place involving the Attorney General or the Lord Chancellor's Department.

Victims of Crime

Andrew George: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what plans he has to ensure that alleged victims of crime have adequate time in which to (a) consider the decision of the CPS to accept an alteration of a plea and (b) be told when the appeal is to be heard.

Harriet Harman: The right hon. Lord Williams of Mostyn QC, published guidelines 12 months ago outlining the approach that should be adopted by a prosecution advocate when considering the acceptability of a defendant's plea. The guidelines emphasise that the prosecution should keep victims or victims' families attending court informed of developments in a case and, whenever practicable, speak to them so that their views and interests can be taken into account as part of the decision-making process.
	The police are responsible for keeping the victim or victim's family informed of the progress of Court of Appeal cases. The police receive this information from the Criminal Appeals Office in all cases involving a death or sexual offence and in any other case in which the victim has indicated that he or she wishes to be kept informed of case progress.

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

Supply Teachers

Angela Watkinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many supply teachers are on register; and how many were on the register in each of the past five years.

Stephen Timms: My Department does not hold a central register of supply teachers.
	The numbers of qualified occasional teachers (short-term supply teachers on contracts of less than one month) employed in the maintained schools sector in England for the whole day, on the third Thursday in January were as follows:
	
		
			 January Number 
		
		
			 1997 13,600 
			 1998 13,200 
			 1999 14,100 
			 2000 16,700 
			 2001 19,600 
		
	
	Supply, temporary and agency teachers on a contract of at least one month cannot be separately identified from teachers in regular service.

Supply Teachers

Debra Shipley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  what measures she is taking to ensure that agencies which supply temporary teaching staff check their qualifications;
	(2)  what guidance she offers head teachers employing supply teachers;
	(3)  what measures she is taking to ensure that head teachers who discover supply teachers lack appropriate qualifications report them to the police;
	(4)  what measures she is taking to ensure that head teachers who discover supply teachers behaving in an inappropriate manner report them to the police;
	(5)  what measures she is taking to ensure that supply teachers are properly vetted.

Stephen Timms: My Department's "Guidance Notes for Teacher Employment Businesses and Agencies" describes the requirements for checks which the Department considers must be made by agencies providing supply teachers to schools in order to comply with the law. These include checks to establish that supply teachers have the necessary qualifications and checks of identity, health and fitness to teach, as well as against criminal records and the register of barred teachers. Regulation of agencies and employment businesses is provided under the Employment Agency Act 1973 and Conduct Regulations, which are the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry. The Employment Agency Standards Inspectorate enforces this legislation.
	Circular 7/96, issued to schools in parallel with the "Guidance Notes for Agencies" mentioned, provides guidance to head teachers taking on temporary teachers. It emphasises that schools should be clear about the checks that have been carried out, even where by an agency; that it is a school's responsibility to ensure that all checks have been made; and that schools should ask for written assurance that any agency used has carried out these checks.
	My Department also issued further guidance to local education authorities (LEAs), schools and agencies in 1998 reminding them about the checks that should be made on teachers, and others seeking to work with children. Schools were advised that cases of serious or deliberate deception by an applicant might constitute a criminal offence, and should be reported to the police and to my Department.
	The White Paper "Schools Achieving Success" proposed a Quality Mark for agencies and LEAs. I would expect any Quality Mark to lay out expectations of agencies and LEAs in terms of their recruitment and management practice and their relations with schools.

Teacher Vacancies (Upminster)

Angela Watkinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many (a) full-time and (b) part-time teacher vacancies there are in (i) secondary, (ii) primary and (iii) special schools in Upminster; and if she will make a statement.

Stephen Timms: The information is not available in the form requested.
	Numbers of full-time vacancies for teachers in maintained nursery, primary, secondary and special schools in Havering local authority at January 2001 were as follows:
	
		
			   Number of vacancies 
		
		
			 Nursery/primary 0 
			 Secondary 38 
			 Special 0

Teacher Vacancies (Havering)

Angela Watkinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many teacher vacancies there were on 31 March (a) 1999, (b) 2000 and (c) 2001 in the London borough of Havering; and if she will make a statement.

Stephen Timms: The numbers of vacancies for full-time teachers in maintained nursery, primary, secondary and special schools in Havering local authority were as follows:
	
		
			 January(50) Number of vacancies 
		
		
			 1999 13 
			 2000 18 
			 2001 38 
		
	
	(50) Teacher vacancy details at 31 March of each year are not available

School Repairs and Maintenance (Upminster)

Angela Watkinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what estimate she has made of the backlog of school buildings repair and maintenance work in Upminster; and if she will make a statement.

John Healey: We have not made an estimation of the backlog of buildings repair and maintenance work in Upminster. Havering local education authority may be able to provide this information.
	In connection with the Department's arrangements for appraising asset management plans, we are planning to begin publishing asset management plan data on the condition of school buildings later this year.

Teachers (East Yorkshire)

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many (a) primary and (b) secondary teacher vacancies there were in the East Riding of Yorkshire on 31 March in each year since 1996.

Stephen Timms: The table shows full-time teacher vacancies in maintained schools at January of each year.
	
		
			 Year Nursery/Primary Secondary 
		
		
			 1997 0 0 
			 1998 1 0 
			 1999 4 0 
			 2000 2 0 
			 2001 0 6 
		
	
	The East Riding of Yorkshire authority was created as part of the April 1996 local government reorganisation.

Public Bodies

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  if she will list those public bodies which are the responsibility of her Department and which are not listed in Public Bodies 2000;
	(2)  if she will list those public bodies to which her Department appoints members and which are not listed in Public Bodies 2000.

Ivan Lewis: Public Bodies 2000 sets out information on non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs), certain public corporations (including nationalised industries) and NHS bodies. There are four types of NDPB: executive NDPBs; advisory NDPBs; tribunal NDPBs; and boards of visitors to penal establishments. The next edition will be published around the end of the year. Information about taskforces, annual reports and ad hoc advisory groups is set out in an annual report, published by Cabinet Office. Copies of Public Bodies 2000 are in the Library of the House and this publication may be accessed via Cabinet Office's website ("http:// www.official-documents.co.uk/document/caboff/pb00/ pboo.htm)". Copies of the annual report on taskforces and similar bodies have also been placed in the Library of the House and the annual report is being made available on Cabinet Office's website.
	The NDPBs to which the Secretary of State for Education and Skills makes appointments which are not listed in Public Bodies 2000 are: the Adult Learning Inspectorate; the Learning and Skills Council; and, the National College for School Leadership.

Public Spending Bodies

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will list those local bodies which were set up under legislation which is the responsibility of her Department and its predecessors since May 1997.

Ivan Lewis: Since May 1997 11 new local public spending bodies have been established, nine are Further Education (FE) Institutions, two are Higher Education (HE) Institutions. They are:
	New Institutions
	The Brooke House Sixth Form College (FE)
	The Conservatoire for Dance and Drama (HE)
	New Institutions established as a result of the merger of existing Institutions
	The Bolton Sixth Form College (FE)
	The Leicester College (FE)
	The East Durham and Houghall Community College (FE)
	The Harrow College (FE)
	The Wiltshire College (FE)
	The Thurrock and Basildon College (FE)
	The Sussex Downs College (FE)
	The Derby College (FE)
	Former Private Institution designated to receive public funding
	The Royal Agricultural College (HE).

Nursery Education

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what is the average cost of a full- time nursery place in (a) England and (b) the Buckingham constituency.

Howard Flight: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the average cost is of a full-time nursery place in (a) England and (b) Arundel and South Downs.

Margaret Hodge: Information on the average cost of full-time nursery education places is not collected by my Department.
	All funding for full and part-time nursery education places for 4-year-olds, along with the majority of funding for 3-year-olds, in the local authority maintained sector, is determined locally.
	In 2001–02, the Government are funding new, free, part-time early education places for 3-year-olds at the rate of £1,188 per child. This funding can purchase five two and a half hour sessions per week, for 11 weeks per term, for 33 weeks per year. Government funding of nursery education for 4-year-olds is channelled through the standard spending assessment. This Government have increased spending on nursery education from £1 billion in 1996–97 to £1.8 billion in 2001–02. Expenditure is planned to rise to £2 billion by 2002–03.

Class Sizes

Andy Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will make a statement on average class sizes in primary and secondary schools in the Leicestershire local education authority from 1992 to the most recent year for which figures are available.

John Healey: Information on average class sizes in maintained primary and secondary schools in Leicestershire local education authority area is shown in the table.
	
		Average class sizes(51) in maintained primary and secondary schools
		
			   Maintained  
			 Year/Local education authority Primary schools Secondary schools 
		
		
			 Leicestershire LEA(52) area   
			 1992 25.8 20.7 
			 1993 26.1 21.4 
			 1994 25.8 21.5 
			 1995 26.5 22.2 
			 1996 26.7 22.4 
			 1997 26.7 22.3 
			 1998 n/a n/a 
			 1999 n/a n/a 
			 2000 n/a n/a 
			 2001 n/a n/a 
			
			 Leicestershire LEA(52) area   
			 1992 n/a n/a 
			 1993 n/a n/a 
			 1994 n/a n/a 
			 1995 n/a n/a 
			 1996 n/a n/a 
			 1997 n/a n/a 
			 1998 26.9 22.3 
			 1999 26.7 22.4 
			 2000 26.7 22.8 
			 2001 26.3 23.2 
			   
			 Leicester City LEA(52) area   
			 1992 n/a n/a 
			 1993 n/a n/a 
			 1994 n/a n/a 
			 1995 n/a n/a 
			 1996 n/a n/a 
			 1997 n/a n/a 
			 1998 27.4 23.1 
			 1999 26.6 22.7 
			 2000 26.8 22.9 
			 2001 26.1 23.3 
			
			 Rutland LEA(52) area   
			 1992 n/a n/a 
			 1993 n/a n/a 
			 1994 n/a n/a 
			 1995 n/a n/a 
			 1996 n/a n/a 
			 1997 n/a n/a 
			 1998 25.6 23.8 
			 1999 25.8 23.3 
			 2000 24.9 22.6 
			 2001 26.2 24.0 
			
			 England   
			 1992 26.4 20.6 
			 1993 26.6 21.2 
			 1994 26.9 21.4 
			 1995 27.1 21.5 
			 1996 27.3 21.7 
			 1997 27.5 21.7 
			 1998 27.7 21.7 
			 1999 27.4 21.9 
			 2000 27.1 22.0 
			 2001 26.7 22.0 
		
	
	n/a = Not applicable
	(51) Classes taught by one teacher
	(52) As a result of local government reorganisation in April 1997, Leicestershire local education authority divided to form the following local education authorities: Leicestershire, Leicester city and Rutland

Class Sizes

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if data showing the average class sizes in (a) individual primary and (b) individual secondary schools (i) are and (ii) could practically be made available centrally to her Department.

John Healey: Information about class sizes has been collected from maintained primary and secondary schools as part of the Annual Schools Census in January for over 20 years. In order to provide a true representation of the sizes of classes experienced by children, each school is randomly allocated a specific time on the census day at which class sizes should be reported. The current collection asks for the number of pupils, teachers and teaching assistants in the class at the appropriate time and also for its Key Stage and National Curriculum Year Group. The activity in which the class is engaged is also requested.
	The September Class Size Count is a separate collection started in 1998, introduced to monitor class sizes at Key Stage one. The statistical method used is the same as in the January Census, but, in order to lessen the burden on schools, information is collected only from primary schools and about classes where the majority of children will reach the appropriate age during the school year. The information required about each class in September 2001 was the number of pupils, teachers and teaching assistants and the activity in which the class was engaged and, for classes of 31 or more, the number of excepted pupils.
	Information on individual schools is not normally published. Where individual school information is published as in the School Performance tables, the information is first checked with the schools concerned.

Asset Management Plans

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, pursuant to her answer of 15 November 2001, Official Report, column 866W, on asset management plans, if she will place a copy of the results in the Library.

John Healey: A copy of the results was placed in the Library on 30 November.

Wiltshire Schools

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will make a statement on the state of the fabric of Wiltshire schools.

John Healey: Detailed information on the condition of school buildings in Wiltshire should be currently available from the Local Education Authority.
	The Department plans to publish information on the national condition needs of schools at the end of this month, based on data collected as part of the Department's arrangements for appraising asset management plans.

Sixth Forms

David Chaytor: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many school sixth forms there are with (a) 50 and (b) 100 or fewer pupils in each local learning and skills council.

Margaret Hodge: holding answer 29 November 2001
	The Learning and Skills Council will be responsible for the funding of school sixth forms from April next year.
	The information requested is contained in the following table.
	
		Number of maintained secondary schools with sixth forms in each learning and skills council, January 2001
		
			 Learning and skills council Total number of maintained secondary schools with sixth forms Number of maintained secondary schools with sixth forms with 50 or fewer pupils aged 16–19 Number of maintained secondary schools with sixth forms with 100 or fewer pupils aged 16–19 
		
		
			 Bedfordshire 18 0 1 
			 Berkshire 46 1 11 
			 Birmingham and Solihull 45 0 7 
			 Bournemouth/Dorset/Poole 25 1 5 
			 Cambridgeshire 24 2 4 
			 Cheshire/Warrington 39 1 6 
			 Coventry and Warwickshire 38 4 10 
			 Cumbria 27 2 6 
			 Derbyshire 34 0 8 
			 Devon and Cornwall 56 1 4 
			 Durham 17 0 5 
			 Essex 56 2 6 
			 Gloucestershire 28 2 7 
			 Greater Manchester 28 0 0 
			 Hampshire and Isle of Wight 16 0 3 
			 Herefordshire and Worcestershire 27 0 8 
			 Hertfordshire 74 3 16 
			 Humberside 25 1 7 
			 Kent/Medway 98 4 25 
			 Lancashire 19 0 1 
			 Leicestershire 22 0 0 
			 Lincolnshire 32 2 6 
			 London Central 36 0 11 
			 London East 68 0 10 
			 London North 46 0 7 
			 London South 46 1 12 
			 London West 58 3 11 
			 Merseyside/Halton 68 1 15 
			 Milton Keynes, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire 69 4 21 
			 Norfolk 25 0 6 
			 North Yorkshire 28 1 3 
			 Northampton 35 1 7 
			 Northumberland 15 0 0 
			 Nottinghamshire 52 5 20 
			 Shropshire 11 0 5 
			 Somerset 8 0 1 
			 South Yorkshire 30 0 2 
			 Staffordshire 51 2 17 
			 Suffolk 29 0 1 
			 Surrey 29 1 4 
			 Sussex 38 0 4 
			 Tees Valley 4 0 0 
			 The Black Country 47 4 13 
			 Tyne and Wear 31 1 4 
			 West England 40 0 9 
			 West Yorkshire 85 5 15 
			 Wiltshire and Swindon 20 0 1 
			 England 1,763 55 345

Research Assessment

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans she has to assess the parameters of the Research Assessment Exercise.

Margaret Hodge: The operation of the 2001 Research Assessment Exercise will be reviewed by the Higher Education Funding Council for England and the other UK funding bodies after the exercise has been completed. The current review of higher education announced by the Secretary of State on 22 October is considering research more generally.

Community Colleges

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many UK students are studying at (a) the European Union Institute, Florence and (b) at Community colleges of a similar nature; what subjects they are studying; and if she will make a statement.

Margaret Hodge: In the 2001–02 academic year, my Department is supporting 16 English and Welsh students (six of whom are in their second year of study) at the European University Institute (EUI) in Florence. In addition the Scottish Executive and the Northern Ireland Assembly support two students. EUI students undertake study and research in one of four departments; Economics, Law, History and Civilisation or Political and Social Sciences. Most of these students are undertaking a three year doctorate, but there are some students who undertake a one year Masters in Law.
	There are two other European institutions where students are supported by my Department. Scotland and Northern Ireland have separate arrangements. Fifteen students are supported at the College of Europe in Bruges, Belgium and Natolin, Poland. Students follow a one year course and enrol in one of four departments; Economics, Human Resource Development, Political Sciences or Administrative Sciences. All follow a compulsory programme of European General and Interdisciplinary Studies.
	In addition two students are supported at the Bologna Center, part of John Hopkins University, in Bologna, Italy. Students study an interdisciplinary course, including a modern language, International Economics, International Relations and European Studies.
	The Government are keen to see greater collaborative links between Higher Education Institutions across Europe, both by encouraging EU students to study in the UK and by funding students at the three institutions to which this question refers.

School Budgets (Spending Streams)

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what proportion of the average (a) primary and (b) secondary school budget in England was covered by specified funding streams in 2000–01.

Stephen Timms: The information requested is not held centrally.

Student Loans Company

Huw Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many individuals are repaying student loans through the Student Loans Company.

Margaret Hodge: At the end of the 2000–01 financial year, there were 1,170,000 borrowers repaying loans of which 652,000 had accounts retained in the ownership of the Government and repayable to the Student Loans Company (SLC). The remaining borrowers had accounts which were sold to the two private sector owners, but where the administration remains with the SLC. The number of borrowers with accounts classified as being in repayment status includes some 543,000 borrowers whose repayments were deferred because their income level was below the repayment threshold.
	The accounts in the retained portfolio include mortgage style loans where repayments are made directly to the SLC, and income contingent loans where accounts are administered by the SLC but repayments, for those within the UK taxation system, are collected by Inland Revenue and refunded to the Department. Repayments from borrowers outside the taxation system, and from those with small loans, are made to the Company.

Sure Start

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, pursuant to her answers of 16 November 2001, Official Report, column 927W and 27 November 2001, Official Report, column 601W, on Sure Start, if she will provide data on the same basis for each Sure Start area.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 30 November 2001
	The following table shows the funding allocation for Sure Start programmes in 2000–01 and the amount claimed by each programme. The allocated revenue and capital columns show the funding agreed at the start of the year, it does not include any changes to allocation made during the year.
	
		(£) 
		
			   Allocated  Claimed  
			 Programme name Revenue Capital Revenue Capital 
		
		
			  Programmes announced January 1999 
			 Abingdon—Middlesbrough 405,405 710,117 342,989 716,566 
			 Aylesbury Plus—Southwark 1,297,173 332,250 1,082,909 89,231 
			 Barkerend—Bradford 698,000 721,000 496,988 20,695 
			 Barrow—Barrow-in-Furness 477,104 955,242 477,104 368,998 
			 Beaumont Leys—Leicester 775,163 1,088,838 566,986 372,377 
			 Billesley—Birmingham 525,351 1,497,087 565,337 70,928 
			 Bilston and Ettingshall—Wolverhampton 763,900 461,450 542,950 229,250 
			 Bridgwater—Sedgemoor 729,200 906,500 477,016 436,161 
			 Brighton and Hove Centre—Brighton and Hove 670,560 619,216 670,561 96,183 
			 Clayton—Manchester 704,158 798,854 505,147 752,811 
			 Denaby Main—Doncaster 583,600 680,000 592,564 767,000 
			 East Cleveland—Redcar and Cleveland 468,627 722,250 344,617 455,294 
			 Edmonton—Enfield 923,796 478,083 824,406 109,357 
			 Euston—Camden 570,340 702,390 397,203 108,965 
			 Huyton—Knowsley 845,608 485,567 564,343 152,106 
			 Foxhill and Parson Cross—Sheffield 941,302 255,000 923,354 218,000 
			 Great Yarmouth—Great Yarmouth 928,465 719,615 476,868 67,411 
			 Greenwich—Greenwich 713,674 288,550 360,286 106,758 
			 Hailsham—Wealden 404,000 1,230,000 201,907 1,154,000 
			 Hartcliffe, Highridge and Wiithywood—Bristol 946,712 889,462 559,141 272,265 
			 Hollinwood—Oldham 350,390 575,000 411,618 293,796 
			 Howdon—North Tyneside 521,183 945,183 374,940 704,586 
			 Lawley and Overdale—Telford and Wrekin 299,322 673,294 240,770 375,092 
			 Marsh Farm—Luton 655,300 322,280 203,231 0 
			 Mereside and Clifton—Blackpool 442,441 870,270 463,808 1,026,085 
			 North Canning Town—Newham 793,000 100,000 179,041 0 
			 North Prospect—Plymouth 535,092 266,000 215,000 258,000 
			 North West Nottingham—Nottingham 647,767 725,073 593,216 48,512 
			 Northern Hull—Kingston Upon Hull 977,056 68,119 14,750 0 
			 Nunsthorpe and Bradley Park—North Ease Lincolnshire 633,300 657,500 680,443 145,080 
			 Ocean Estate—Tower Hamlets 405,401 270,000 252,036 0 
			 Ore Valley—Hastings 923,790 335,740 661,185 253,953 
			 Osmaston/Allenton—Derby 744,235 500,000 586,860 136,000 
			 Parr—St. Helens 519,000 745,000 300,600 15,700 
			 Pen Green—Corby 981,807 824,500 787,236 129,500 
			 Lescudjack—Penwith 739,182 815,000 222,429 176,962 
			 Queensbridge—Hackney 1,476,627 314,800 435,834 188,707 
			 Ravensdale—Mansfield 718,200 406,500 525,824 329,068 
			 Rawmarsh—Rotheram 820,410 400,000 239,992 133,457 
			 Rose Hill/Littlemore—Oxford 812,573 1,038,766 803,992 517,589 
			 Rowley Regis—Sandwell 551,402 1,125,273 110,841 36,922 
			 Seedley, Langworthy and the Precinct—Salford 582,200 807,000 383,374 741,367 
			 South Fenland—Fenland 717,729 499,256 444,164 104,995 
			 South Seacroft—Leeds 678,000 246,000 396,170 74,974 
			 St. James Street—Waltham Forest 381,400 632,000 211,628 0 
			 Stoke on Trent North—Stoke on Trent 1,070,690 366,027 886,907 357,848 
			 Sudell and Central Darwen—Blackburn with Darwen 705,823 1,146,655 335,150 217,254 
			 Thorney Close—Sunderland 735,586 814,100 835,192 1,140,291 
			 Thornhill—Kirklees 455,868 1,058,943 218,661 1,003,252 
			 Thorpe Hamlet—Norwich 538,992 690,500 270,675 114,202 
			 Tilbury—Thurrock 746,081 1,136,618 567,646 902,679 
			 Tulse Hill—Lambeth 1,125,601 905,000 452,212 0 
			 West Everton and Breckfield—Liverpool 433,356 1,289,564 253,616 78,570 
			 West Green—Haringey 869,627 696,762 523,172 746,762 
			 Weston—Southampton 227,000 482,000 173,734 436,740 
			 Whitehaven—Copeland 677,232 739,173 586,942 168,733 
			 Widnes—Halton 844,761 457,680 605,466 238,912 
			 Programmes announced November 1999 
			 All Saints—South Tyneside 267,598 135,000 61,866 0 
			 Ashfield—Ashfield 330,000 363,000 126,691 0 
			 Barton Tredworth and White City—Gloucester 413,001 545,000 37,328 24,622 
			 Bedlington and Scotland Gate—Wansbeck 165,000 390,000 76,505 0 
			 Bellingham—Lewisham 212,321 45,000 157,834 0 
			 Benchill—Manchester 475,611 233,400 259,715 9,882 
			 Birchwood—Lincoln 250,000 195,000 156,760 0 
			 Birkenhead North—Wirral 394,500 266,500 140,806 21,519 
			 Blaydon Winlaton—Gateshead 196,880 50,000 86,619 0 
			 Blyth—Blyth Valley 121,000 257,000 68,136 0 
			 Bolton—Bolton 334,916 217,350 334,916 26,690 
			 Boston—Boston 200,175 0 70,455 0 
			 Bournemouth—Bournemouth 179,224 299,360 115,941 50,000 
			 Bramley—Leeds 407,257 626,000 396,507 119,200 
			 Brierley Hill—Dudley 345,360 0 101,562 0 
			 Britwell—Slough 588,000 365,000 89,540 47,333 
			 Broad Green—Croydon 259,079 200,000 41,580 0 
			 Burngreave—Sheffield 200,000 77,000 220,000 0 
			 Cannock Chase—Cannock Chase 408,360 306,610 170,000 0 
			 Chatham—Medway Towns 311,700 62,000 47,503 0 
			 Chelmsley Wood—Solihull 247,704 39,775 87,262 0 
			 Church Street—Newcastle 222,766 147,000 97,398 43,400 
			 Coningham—Hammersmith and Fulham 275,300 100,000 176,044 0 
			 Copenhagen—Islington 448,250 200,000 1,711 0 
			 Coventry—Coventry 377,658 274,113 10,000 0 
			 Daneshouse and Stoneyholme—Burnley 219,870 0 112,872 0 
			 Dover—Dover 525,000 210,000 165,362 0 
			 East Bolsover—Bolsover 218,089 49,880 90,668 15,686 
			 Elland—Calderdale 171,000 0 103,359 0 
			 Ferryhill and Chilton—Sedgefield 404,000 150,000 158,844 0 
			 Gladstone—Peterborough 276,000 98,573 192,817 60,000 
			 Hattersley—Tameside 316,480 35,000 112,701 11,949 
			 Hindley/Hindley Green—Wigan 238,493 143,000 86,304 0 
			 Hounslow—Hounslow 152,000 62,500 101,001 19,418 
			 Hyndburn—Hyndburn 254,404 100,000 132,157 5,573 
			 Keighley—Bradford 175,000 100,000 160,245 45,810 
			 Kendray—Barnsley 252,300 137,300 88,109 7,230 
			 Knowle West—Bristol 382,900 195,000 49,025 34,500 
			 Ladywood—Birmingham 214,462 193,871 197,029 34,498 
			 Litherland—Sefton 386,904 397,000 271,136 183,729 
			 Loxford—Redbridge 200,000 244,180 100,689 0 
			 Lupset, Thornes and Lawfield Lane—Wakefield 354,762 150,000 199,463 33,237 
			 Marfleet—Kingston Upon Hull 350,000 720,000 157,637 281,733 
			 Newcastle East—Newcastle 208,069 322,500 87,289 37,068 
			 Newcastle Westgate—Newcastle 377,650 0 202,239 0 
			 North Washington—Sunderland 464,995 459,000 214,516 31,100 
			 North West Kensington—Kensington and Chelsea 300,000 100,000 36,129 0 
			 Nuneaton—Nuneaton and Bedworth 300,949 91,899 169,670 0 
			 Parnall Wood—Harlow 236,210 89,000 161,179 0 
			 Pendle—Pendle 299,592 141,350 179,546 10,022 
			 Peterlee—Easington 262,399 145,000 10,000 0 
			 Ribbleton—Preston 268,356 326,798 89,449 20,551 
			 Rochdale—Rochdale 236,369 400,000 134,528 100,000 
			 Ryde—Isle of Wight 93,000 76,200 53,160 0 
			 Seaton Grange, Owton Rossmere—Hartlepool 230,607 105,000 144,588 27,529 
			 Somerstown—Portsmouth 375,200 430,000 172,445 47,000 
			 South East Ipswich—Ipswich 356,600 688,250 309,365 100,000 
			 South Northolt—Ealing 158,000 45,885 93,771 17,067 
			 Speke—Liverpool 291,864 93,000 107,600 0 
			 St. Ann's—Nottingham 331,603 109,450 118,779 0 
			 St. Matthews—Leicester 225,897 117,772 84,194 3,942 
			 Stanley—Derwentside 303,467 50,000 10,000 0 
			 Stockton—Stockton on Tees 242,406 326,400 138,668 0 
			 Thames View—Barking and Dagenham 200,000 135,000 46,590 0 
			 Trevu—Kerrier 698,908 314,182 171,740 372,000 
			 Battersea—Wandsworth 290,000 500,000 111,042 14,210 
			 Wear Valley—Wear Valley 225,500 100,000 10,000 0

Student Loans

Huw Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many individuals repaid student loans early in the last year for which figures are available.

Margaret Hodge: In the 2000–01 financial year, there were 1,600 borrowers with accounts paid off in full before liability for repayment had arisen. This figure does not include borrowers who have made accelerated repayments nor borrowers who have made repayments even though their obligation to repay has been deferred because their income has fallen below the repayment threshold.

Student Loans

Huw Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what guidance is issued to the Student Loans Company Ltd. to enable individuals to make early repayments of a student loan.

Margaret Hodge: The Student Loans Company Ltd. (SLC) operates under the terms of a remit letter, which I send to it annually. This requires the company to administer the student loans schemes in line with the legislative framework.
	Provisions for the early repayment of mortgage style loans are covered under schedule 2 of the Education (Student Loans) Regulations 1998, which state that the borrower can make early repayments at any time, and that he should ask the SLC for a written statement giving the exact amount owed. A borrower can repay all or any part of their income contingent student loans at any time under Education (Student Loans) Regulations 2000, regulation 11 (1). The Student Loans Company Ltd. makes arrangements directly with the borrower for the method of repayment.

Student Loans

Huw Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many individuals are repaying student loans in Wales.

Margaret Hodge: Information broken down by home country of domicile is not held centrally but we are asking the Student Loans Company Ltd. to write to my hon. Friend further on this.

Parliamentary Ombudsman

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, pursuant to the answer of 28 November 2001, Official Report, column 926W, Ref. 18771, on the Parliamentary Ombudsman, on which date each of the five new statutory statements of complaint was received; and on which date the response was made.

Estelle Morris: Information on the outcome of the statutory investigations which were concluded during 2000–01 are set out in the Parliamentary Ombudsman's Annual Report for 2000–01, copies of which are available in the Library of the House, or on the Parliamentary Ombudsman's website at www.ombudsman.org.uk/pca/ document/par01/index.
	Between 1 April 2001 and 31 October, my Department received five new statutory statements of complaint from the Parliamentary Ombudsman. Each was received and responded to as follows:
	1. Letter received 11 April 2001, responded 2 May 2001
	2. Letter received 3 May 2001, responded 17 May 2001
	3. Letter received 30 July 2001, responded 15 August 2001
	4. Letter received 31 August 2001, responded 21 September 2001
	5. Letter received 14 September 2001, responded 27 September 2001.

Parliamentary Ombudsman

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, pursuant to the answer of 28 November 2001, Official Report, column 926W, Ref 18771, on the Parliamentary Ombudsman, how many formal notices her Department received between 1 November 2000 and 31 March 2001; and in respect of each notice, how long it took to respond.

Estelle Morris: Information on the outcome of the statutory investigations which were concluded during 2000–01 are set out in the Parliamentary Ombudsman's Annual Report for 2000–01, copies of which are available in the Library of the House, or on the Parliamentary Ombudsman's website at www.ombudsman.org.uk/pca/ document/par01/index.
	Between 1 November 2000 and 31 March 2001, my Department received six new statutory statements of complaint from the Parliamentary Ombudsman. My Department has responded to all six of these cases. The average time taken to respond overall is 21 days.

Teachers

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many full-time teachers have become supply teachers in the past three years.

Stephen Timms: This information is not collected centrally.

Teachers

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many teacher vacancies there are in special schools.

Stephen Timms: In January 2001 there were 280 full-time teacher vacancies in maintained special schools in England.

Teachers

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many teacher vacancies there were in Buckinghamshire in October (a) 1997 and (b) 2001.

Stephen Timms: The information is not available for the dates requested. Full-time teacher vacancies in maintained nursery, primary, secondary and special schools reported by the Buckinghamshire local authority were as follows:
	
		
			 As at January Number 
		
		
			 1998 35 
			 2001 59

Correspondence

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when she will reply to the letter to her dated 23 October from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Mr. C. K. Abbass.

Ivan Lewis: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State replied yesterday to my right hon. Friend's letter of 23 October.

Companies (Financial Assistance)

Denzil Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will list the companies listed by guarantee which received financial assistance from her Department in financial year 2000–01.

Ivan Lewis: This information can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Admissions Criteria

Edward Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if an appeal panel hearing an appeal against a primary school's decision not to admit a child to their school is entitled to alter that school's approved admissions criteria; and if she will make a statement.

Stephen Timms: No—an appeal panel cannot alter a school's general admission arrangements, including admissions criteria. Their role is to decide in individual cases whether the school should admit a child, having regard to the case presented by both the admission authority and the parents. The panel decides first whether one of the statutory grounds for refusing admission applies. But even if the panel decides that it was proper to refuse to admit the child, they proceed (except in the case of infant classes, to which special rules apply) to a second, discretionary stage of consideration. At this stage, they balance the effect on the school of admitting another child against the parents' reasons for wanting the child to be admitted.

Admissions Criteria

Edward Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will list the grounds on which an appeal panel hearing an appeal against a primary school's decision not to admit a child to their school can overrule the school's decision, if the school has followed its approved admissions criteria; and if she will make a statement.

Stephen Timms: There are no grounds on which an appeal panel can overrule a primary school's decision not to admit a child to an infant class size because that would take the class size above 30, if the school has followed its published admission arrangements. The panel can uphold that infant class appeal only if the decision was not one which a reasonable admission authority would make in the circumstances of the case or the child would have been offered a place if the admission arrangements had been properly implemented.
	For appeals other than for infant class size, the panel must weigh up the cases of the school and the parents. The effect on the school of admitting another child is balanced against the parents' reasons for wanting the child to be admitted. If the panel decides that the parents' case is the stronger, the school must admit the child.

Admissions Criteria

Edward Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many appeals against decisions not to admit a pupil by primary schools in England and Wales were (a) heard and (b) granted by appeal panels in (i) 1998–99, (ii) 1999–2000 and (iii) 2000–01.

Stephen Timms: The figures for primary schools in England are:
	Appeals heard for 1998–99: 21,219
	Appeals decided in parents' favour: 9,341
	Appeals heard for 1999–2000: 18,712
	Appeals decided in parents' favour: 7,290.
	Figures for 2000–01 will not be available until summer 2002.
	The National Assembly for Wales does not keep statistics on appeals lodged by parents against non- admission of their children to maintained schools.

Teacher Vacancies

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans her Department has to reduce the number of primary and secondary school teacher vacancies.

Stephen Timms: We have put in place a range of measures to boost the recruitment and retention of teachers including: £6,000 training bursaries for graduates starting postgraduate teacher training and £4,000 "Golden Hellos" for those who train in and go on to teach shortage subjects; above-inflation pay increases for the third year running; measures to encourage returners back into teaching such as "refresher" courses with training grants of up to £150 a week and child care for those taking part; and £33 million extra funding distributed direct to those schools in the areas with the highest vacancies to put in place local initiatives. These are starting to pay off with 12,500 more teachers than in 1998 and an increase in the number entering teachers training for the second year running. We are also working on a scheme that will pay off, over a set period of time, the student loans of new teachers who enter and remain in state education and we are determined to tackle issues about teacher workload. It is all part of our strategy of recruitment, retention and reward that will deliver 10,000 extra teachers and 20,000 more support staff over the Parliament.

Further Education Colleges

David Chidgey: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will list the different accounting headings under which further education colleges in England must apply for standard fund grants, (a) immediately before and (b) after the establishment of the learning and skills council.

John Healey: holding answer 4 December 2001
	In 2000–01 the standards fund had six categories: College Improvement; Improving Teaching and Learning; Training and Development for Principals and Senior Management Teams; the Good Governance Programme; Dissemination of Good Practice; and the Achievement Fund.
	This year, which is the first year of the learning and skills council, there are five categories for the standards fund for 2001–02: Provider Improvement; Professional Development; The Good Governance Programme; Centres of Vocational Excellence; and Dissemination of Good Practice.
	From April 2002 there will be a single, unified Learning and Skills Standards Fund with no individual ring-fenced funding streams within it.

Funding Agency for Schools

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the administration costs of the Funding Agency for Schools were in 2000–01; and what she expects them to be in 2001–02.

Stephen Timms: The Funding Agency for Schools was dissolved on 1 November 1999.

Language Teaching

Sydney Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will make a statement on progress in improving language teaching in primary schools.

Ivan Lewis: In the White Paper "Schools Achieving Success", we have stated our commitment to actively promote modern language teaching in primary schools so that more older primary children learn a second language. We are already doing a great deal to support language teaching in primary schools, although we do not have a statutory curriculum for languages at primary age. The National Curriculum contains guidance for teaching 7 to 11-year-olds, and we have published a scheme of work for primary French, and further materials for primary German and Spanish. We are supporting the Early Language Learning initiative, through which we are piloting approaches to extend language teaching in primary schools, and developing a curriculum guide to good practice and classroom materials. A national advisory centre on early language learning has been set up with an accompanying website.
	We will be building on existing links between primary schools and specialist language colleges. The increasing number of specialist colleges and the developing focus on their roles as "hubs" of excellence will enhance opportunities for primary schools to access language expertise.

Language Teaching

Sydney Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what studies her Department has made of the impact on language learning in the UK of the emergence of English as a world language.

Ivan Lewis: Despite the importance of English as a world language, we recognise the valuable contribution that foreign language learning makes to our social and economic success. The Department has not studied the impact on language learning in the UK of the emergence of English as a world language, but we are doing a great deal to support and enhance foreign language teaching and learning. All pupils in England have a statutory entitlement to learn at least one foreign language from the age of 11. The growing number of specialist language colleges, with their role as "hubs" of excellence, means that more schools are able to benefit from access to languages expertise.
	Commercially and vocationally, languages have a great deal to offer. We have committed over £900,000 over three years to support regional language networks. These networks will address language skills needs, demands and provision within regions and sectors. They will raise awareness of the importance of language skills for companies and will provide a point of contact and a support structure for regional initiatives to promote language learning.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Correspondence

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many and what proportion of letters received by his Department between 20 June and 20 July were replied to (a) in under 15, (b) in under 20, (c) in under 30, (d) in under 40 and (e) in over 40 working days.

Maria Eagle: holding answer 3 December 2001
	Information on the volume of correspondence received by Departments, and their performance in handling them, is published annually by the Cabinet Office. The most recent report, covering 2000, was announced by the then Minister for the Cabinet Office on 6 April 2001, Official Report, column 325W.
	Information on letters received between 20 June and 20 July 2001 is not available in the format required. However, Ministers sent a total of 516 replies in this period. 483 (93 per cent.) were sent within 20 days, 18 (4 per cent.) between 21 and 40 days, and 15 (3 per cent.) in over 40 days.

Correspondence

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many letters his Department received from right hon. and hon. Members between 20 June and 20 July.

Maria Eagle: holding answer 3 December 2001
	Information on the volume of correspondence from Members of Parliament received by Departments, and their performance in handling them, is published annually by the Cabinet Office. The most recent report, covering 2000, was announced by the then Minister for the Cabinet Office on 6 April 2001, Official Report, column 325W.
	Between 20 June and 20 July 2001, this Department received 1,176 letters for ministerial reply, most of which were from right hon. and hon. Members.

Second State Pension

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on the second state pension, how to qualify for it and the future of SERPS.

Ian McCartney: holding answer 3 December 2001
	From 6 April 2002, the State Second Pension reforms SERPS to boost the state additional pension of low earners, and allow qualifying carers and long-term disabled people to build up an additional pension. People accruing SERPS will automatically start to accrue State Second Pension. Already accrued SERPS rights will be fully protected.
	The reforms introduce a Low Earnings Threshold (£10,400 in today's terms). Employees earning up to the threshold will have their additional pension calculated as if they earned at that level. In addition, the amount of additional pension they receive will be twice the amount that they would have got from SERPS.
	Qualifying carers who look after a young child, or a sick or disabled person at home, and disabled people who have lost their link with the labour market will also be treated for additional pension purposes as if they had earnings at the threshold.
	Employees earning up to about £23,600 (in today's terms) will also benefit from the reforms, with the amount of extra help tapering off as earnings rise.
	Those earning above about £23,600 (in today's terms) will receive the same from the State Second Pension as they would have done from SERPS.

Pension Credit

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the changes to cost and coverage of the proposed pension credit if the maximum savings credit were revised to (a) £14.80 single/ £18.60 couple, (b) £15.80 single/£19.60 couple and (c) continuing for each £1 up to a maximum of £18.80 for single people and £23.60 for couples.

Ian McCartney: Pension credit will ensure that no pensioner need live on an income below a guaranteed minimum level and will provide a reward through the savings credit for those who have made their own provision for their retirement. The formula for the savings credit is set out in "The Pension Credit: the Government's proposals" published on 28 November, copies of which are in the Library. The cost and coverage of the savings credit depends on a number of factors including the range of income rewarded and the percentage of this specified as the savings credit.

Pension Credit

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the size of a pension fund which would generate an annuity capable of establishing eligibility to an element of pension credit on its introduction in 2003 on a (a) single life flat and (b) single life indexed basis for (i) men and (ii) women, assuming no change in current rates.

Ian McCartney: The introduction of pension credit will mean that no pensioner need live on less than £100 a week, or £154 for couples. For the first time we will reward, not penalise, savings to ensure those who have worked hard to save modest amounts will gain from having done so. Even small private pension funds will attract the savings credit.
	The information in the table shows the estimated funds required to generate an annuity sufficient to raise people above the point they are eligible for the savings reward element of pension credit.
	
		£ 
		
			  Flat-rate Index-linked 
		
		
			 Male 36,000 48,000 
			 Female 39,000 52,000 
		
	
	Notes:
	All figures rounded to nearest £1,000.
	Figures calculated using annuity rates provided by Annuity Direct.
	Assumes retirement at age 65.
	Assumes entitlement to Basic State Pension only.

Bereavement Allowance

Martyn Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has to extend the period of payment of bereavement allowance to widows and widowers following the death of a spouse.

Malcolm Wicks: Bereavement benefits were introduced on 9 April 2001 and are available to both men and women for the first time. They concentrate the help available where and when it is needed most, on immediate needs and on families with children.
	We recognise that people need breathing space to come to terms with the emotional and practical upheaval caused by the loss of their spouse. Bereavement allowance is therefore payable for 12 months. As with all benefits this will be kept under review.

Benefit Fraud

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what are the (a) local authorities who have been subject to an inspection by the Benefit Fraud Inspectorate and (b) authorities who have implemented all the recommendations made by the Benefit Fraud Inspectorate's report.

Malcolm Wicks: A list of those local authorities which have been subject to an inspection by the Benefit Fraud Inspectorate (BFI) has been placed in the Library. Copies of those inspection reports which have been published can also be found in the Library.
	BFI recommendations are not binding on local authorities, who may put forward alternative proposals for improving performance. Where there are continuing concerns, authorities are asked to submit progress reports to ensure that their planned improvements are being implemented and achieved. If it is thought necessary to gain additional assurance that improvements have been implemented, the BFI may be asked to undertake a further inspection. Where following a further inspection it is considered that the authority has failed to improve its performance to a satisfactory standard, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State, will seriously consider using his powers to direct the authority to attain specified standards within a set timescale.
	Therefore information is not available in the format requested.

New Deal

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what independent expert studies he has commissioned into each of the New Deal programmes since January 2000;
	(2)  what research he has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated into the effect of the New Deal for Partners on levels of unemployment and benefit take-up.

Nick Brown: New Deal independent research projects commissioned by the Department since January 2000 (with dates where reports have been published) are:
	New Deal for Young People (NDYP):
	New Deal for Young People: Young Rough Sleepers Awareness and Attitude Survey, A Report to the Employment Service—December 2000
	New Deal for Young People: Implications for Employment and the Public Finances—December 2000
	New Deal for Young People: Survey of Leavers to unknown destinations—January 2001
	New Deal for Musicians: Report on programme leavers—March 2001
	Experiences of New Deal: Qualitative Profiles of Young Participants—March 2001
	Evaluation of the New Deal Innovation Fund—Rounds One and Two—July 2001
	New Deal for Young People: Third Summary Report
	The Impact of the 26 week Sanctioning Regime
	New Deal 25+:
	Evaluation of New Deal for Long Term Unemployed People Enhanced National Programme—June 2001
	Evaluation of re-engineered New Deal 25 plus
	New Deal for Lone Parents (NDLP):
	Employers, Lone Parents and the Work-Life Balance—February 2001
	Jobfinders Grant: Research Among Lone Parents—April 2001
	Case Studies on Delivery—July 2001
	NDLP: An Evaluation of the Innovative Pilots—August 2001
	An Evaluation of Lone Parent Personal Adviser Meeting Pathfinders—September 2001
	BA Visiting Officer Pathfinders Evaluation
	Synthesis Report 2002
	In-Work Training Grants
	Innovation Fund
	Personal Adviser meetings: National Case Studies on Delivery
	Personal Adviser meetings: National Qualitative Research with individuals
	Personal Adviser meetings: National Quantitative Survey
	Personal Adviser meetings: National Administrative Data Analysis
	New Deal for Partners:
	New Deal for Partners of Unemployed People: Case studies on Delivery Phase 1—June 2001
	New Deal for Partners: Case Studies on Delivery Phase 2—August 2001
	Workless Couples: Characteristics and Labour Market Transitions—June 2001
	Workless Couples: Modelling Labour Market Transitions—October 2001
	New Deal for Partners: Qualitative study of participants and non participants
	New Deal 50+:
	Evaluation of New Deal 50 plus: qualitative evidence from clients: first phase—July 2000
	Evaluation of New Deal 50 plus: qualitative evidence from ES and BA staff: first phase—August 2000
	Evaluation of New Deal 50 plus: qualitative evidence from ES and BA staff: second phase—March 2001
	Evaluation of New Deal 50 plus: qualitative evidence from clients: second phase—March 2001
	Evaluation of New Deal 50 plus: Research with Individuals (Wave 1)—September 2001
	Evaluation of New Deal 50 plus: Research with Individuals (Wave 2)—September 2001
	Evaluation of New Deal 50 plus: qualitative evidence from clients: third phase—November 2001
	Evaluation of New Deal 50 plus: Summary Report
	New Deal for Disabled People (NDDP) Extension:
	Innovative Schemes Evaluation (phase 2)—July 2001
	Evaluation of NDDP Extension.

Ageism

Candy Atherton: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what action his Department has taken to tackle discrimination against older people.

Ian McCartney: Since 1997, this Government have consistently shown their commitment to tackling age discrimination against older people through a wide- ranging programme of research, consultation and development initiatives.
	We have overseen a range of co-ordinated strategies through consultation with older people and representative groups, that identify and address their needs including overcoming age discrimination. These include the Better Government for Older People Programme, the 10-year Transport Plan, Quality and Choice for Older People's Housing: A Strategic Framework, the National Service Framework for Older People and the Performance and Innovation Unit report "Winning the Generation Game".
	Our jobcentre network, including the new employer direct call centres, are working to eliminate age discrimination through a range of options. They have a policy of not accepting job vacancies with an upper age limit unless the employer can show genuine reason for the restriction. They deliver a wide range of programmes which are available to older people including new deal 25+, new deal for disabled people, work based learning for adults, work trials and programme centres.
	In April 2000, the new deal 50 plus was launched and up to September this year had helped over 51,000 over 50s back to work. The programme is currently developing third age apprenticeships, which are new work based training opportunities designed to help older people retrain, particularly in sectors which have been reluctant to recruit older people.
	The Government are committed to implementing age legislation in employment by 2006 and in the lead up to legislation, our AgePositive campaign will be intensified; vigorously promoting the business benefits of employing young and older people in the workplace.
	The campaign includes three national and regional annual awards for employers who demonstrate their commitment to employing an age diverse work force, promotion of the Code of Practice on Age Diversity in Employment, a wide ranging research programme and a range of media advertising.
	On 3 December the campaign launched a new AgePositive website www.agepositive.gov.uk and new research studies including the Evaluation of the Impact of the Code of Practice and Good Practice in the Recruitment and Retention of Older Workers.

Winter Fuel Allowance (Residential Care)

Roger Gale: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the cost of payment of winter fuel allowances to fully funded residents of residential and nursing homes.

Ian McCartney: holding answer 27 November 2001
	Winter fuel payments are not made to people who are permanently resident in a residential care or nursing home, and receiving higher rates of income support or income-based jobseeker's allowance. This is because they already receive public assistance with their living costs. Details of how many of these people receive full funding is not available.

Pensioners

Judy Mallaber: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many pensioners in Amber Valley will be affected by the measures contained in the pre-Budget announcement.

Ian McCartney: There are 16.9 thousand people in receipt of Retirement Pension in Amber Valley. They will all gain from the measures which increase pensioners' income.
	Notes:
	1. Figure has been rounded to the nearest hundred.
	2. Based on a 5 per cent. sample from the Pension Strategy Computer System at 31 March 2001.
	3. Parliamentary constituencies derived by matching claimant postcodes on PSCS with ONS Postcode Directory, version 1 2000.

Pensioners

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many pensioners in Middlesbrough, South and Cleveland, East constituency are (a) benefiting from the minimum income guarantee and (b) entitled to claim that benefit.

Ian McCartney: As at May 2001, there were 3,500 minimum income guarantee (MIG) recipients in the Middlesbrough, South and Cleveland, East constituency.
	Estimates of the numbers of people who may be eligible for, but who have not claimed the MIG, are not available below national level.

Benefit Reductions

David Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what reductions are applied to a payee's (a) disability living allowance, (b) attendance allowance, (c) state retirement pension, (d) invalidity benefit and (e) income support during a period of in-patient (i) NHS hospital treatment and (ii) private hospital treatment.

Ian McCartney: Disability living allowance is withdrawn after four weeks in hospital, or after 12 weeks in the case of a recipient aged under 16. Attendance allowance is withdrawn after four weeks.
	A limited reduction is made to retirement pension and incapacity benefit after six weeks in hospital. The reduction is currently £28.30 a week, or £14.50 if the recipient has a dependant. After 52 weeks payment is reduced to 20 per cent. (£14.50) of the basic retirement pension for a person without a dependant and by 40 per cent. of the basic retirement pension for a person with a dependant.
	Income support for a single person is reduced to £18.15 a week after six weeks and to £14.50 after 52 weeks. In the case of a couple, it is reduced by £14.50 a week after six weeks. Each partner should make a separate claim after 52 weeks, and the one in hospital will receive £14.50 a week.
	People who pay the whole cost of accommodation and services provided for them by the hospital are not subject to these reductions.

Knowsley Local Authority

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on the cost of the partnership with Knowsley local authority to introduce e-mail links through digital television.

Ian McCartney: The Department secured £1.9 million from the Treasury Invest to Save fund to run a two year iDTV for the pensions project starting in April 2001. The original intention was to deliver a local pilot, partnering Knowsley local authority. However, we decided on a national pilot and have partnered with Inland Revenue to deliver information and services through satellite and cable iDTV providers to approximately 7 million users across Great Britain. The pilot service, which will be evaluated, is due to be launched in the spring of 2002 and will run for an initial one year period. Further developments beyond the pilot period will be dependent on the pilot evaluation findings.

Office of the Pensions Ombudsman

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on the reasons for the increase from 1997–98 to 2002–03 in the administrative costs of the Office of the Pensions Ombudsman.

Ian McCartney: The staffing and workload levels of the Office of the Pensions Ombudsman have remained constant throughout this period. The increase in administrative costs largely reflects the year on year increases for pay and prices. The administrative costs for 1998–99 and 2000–01 reflect a reduction in the level of expenditure on non staff costs in those years.

Pension Provision Group

Terry Rooney: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will publish the Pension Provision Group's reports on pension provision and self-employment and on pensions and the labour market.

Ian McCartney: The Pension Provision Group have completed their reviews and both reports have been placed in the Library. These are the group's final reports and we would like to thank the group for their work and commitment over the last four and a half years.